The eye-catcher next to the most fantastic bicycles is the fascinatingly shiny ceiling island, an oval with the staggering dimensions of no less than 31.5 x 15.5 m. The basis is the Infinity edge profile from Rockfon.
From the road, a glance through the immense windows is enough to know what the core business is of the company located on the Astridlaan in Geraardsbergen (BE); bicycles, more specifically racing bicycles. This is the first concept store of Specialized and S-Works, two brands whose models are assembled in the United States. The design of the concept store is by ODA Architecture from Geraardsbergen. It absolutely could not be a classic store, but a flagship store where brand experience is central, says architect Mathias Desmecht about the assignment he received. "A space that not only shows products, but also makes the DNA of the brand tangible; technical, aesthetic and progressive. The challenge was to translate this into a total experience in an existing structure."
Bike as Icon
ODA Architecture approached the space as a scenography, with layered zones, focused sightlines and a clear dramaturgy, Desmecht continues his explanation. “Everything is built around the bike, as an object and as an icon. From the route through the store to the use of materials and lighting, every element contributes to an experience that transcends the purely commercial.”
The architect of ODA Architecture states that the large, oval ceiling island is the focal point of the design. “We wanted to create a strong contrast, almost chiaroscuro. Underneath the black, mirrored volume, a low, intimate zone is created, where light is muted and tranquility reigns. Around it, the exact opposite is created: a bright, high space where the bikes are bathed in bright light, reflected by the transparent polycarbonate walls. The ceiling island itself suggests speed, movement and control – values that are closely linked to Specialized – but at the same time evokes a museum atmosphere. No commercial chaos, but a place where every object, every bike gets the attention and tranquility it deserves. Sometimes literally on a pedestal.”
Converting renders
Confistruct from Aalst had the pleasant task of practically completing the design. “That starts with converting the renders into products. The biggest challenge is the large oval ceiling island,” says Lee Vlerick, Managing Partner at the construction company. “We are talking about putting together a puzzle, you have to make the plans workable. How do you build the oval island, how do you build the suspension system and which edge do you use, for example. You can opt for a plasterboard edge, but then you will not get a really neat result. Then we remembered a visit from Frederik David. The Area Sales Manager East and West Flanders from Rockfon showed us an edge profile, Rockfon Chicago Metallic Infinity. A much more elegant solution than plasterboard. That was the missing piece of the puzzle.”
Setting out the oval
The next step was to set out the oval in the space. Project leader Lode van den Bergh of Confistruct: “The line of the ceiling island is repeated on the ceiling, which had to be painted in the same pattern as the floor pattern. How do you get that to match perfectly? We had to think about it for a while, but eventually we had the Eureka moment: we are going to set out points via Autocad.”
Confistruct took the boarder points of the walls as a starting point, Van den Bergh continues the explanation. “We had drawn a grid that we could convert digitally into a drawing. We then set out the points perfectly. During assembly, we first set out the structure too far – outside the oval – and then cut it off to the points that were indicated according to our drawing program.”
Curtains
The black curtains are closed. On the stage behind it is a racing bike, which has just been assembled according to the customer's wishes. The right frame in combination with the handlebars, the brakes, the gears, the shiny rims. The customer has also gained some inspiration on the other side of the stage. There is a golden bike there. “That is the bike of Remco Evenepoel, Olympic champion in time trial and road race. After winning the first gold medal, three of his bikes were sprayed gold here. We were allowed to exhibit them. When a cyclist in the Tour de France rides in yellow on an S-Works bike, we spray a number of bikes yellow here that are transported to France,” a salesperson explains when asked.
Back to the curtain. However, Vlerick and Van den Bergh are not focused on the bike that is on the podium. They are looking up, at the curtain rails where the black curtains are smoothly pulled open. Vlerick: “Normally we would have had to make a curtain box for this. We had to work with an opening of 18 mm. The Infinity profile also proved to be the perfect solution for this, but applied differently, as we were advised by John Smeets, Technical Manager Rockfon Benelux. “You have to mount two profiles with the smooth side facing each other. So you have, as it were, a profile that turns outwards and a profile that turns inwards. These must run synchronously, it is important that the starting radius is correct. Just like with the island, a 2 cm edge was used, which results in a super-sleek appearance. This means that you do not need a cove. The profiles were measured in advance and then produced. They arrived with millimetre precision, which is always an exciting moment.”
Out of the box
According to the design, the glossy oval ceiling island had to ‘mirror’ on the ceiling and on the floor. The shape was accentuated on the ceiling and on the floor with black paint. “Another precision job,” says Van den Bergh with a sense of understatement. “A precision job for which we came up with an out-of-the-box solution. Actually too simple for words. We used the surveyor's points on the ceiling. There we made a connection between the points by bending a thick electrical conduit. We then laid out the resulting shape on the floor in the same way. In this way, the shiny sky – as we started calling the island during the project – ‘reflects’ on the ceiling and the floor.”
The successful execution of a project often also involves a dose of luck, says Vlerick. “ODA Architects wanted the highest possible gloss level for the ceiling island. For the T-profiles from Rockfon, this meant the gloss colour 08. The colour 88 is used as standard; 08 is no longer in the Rockfon programme. We collected the required profiles in the right colour 08 from wholesalers and fellow companies throughout Belgium. In the end, we got them together,” he laughs.
Bike reveal
Cinema-like seats have been created in two places in the showroom; two chairs in front of a huge TV screen with speakers on either side, screened off with a curtain. “These are called the ‘bike reveal’ seats. The selected bike was assembled in the United States and is ready for the customer in Geraardsbergen. The customer takes a seat, the screen displays a text along the lines of ‘Congratulations Mr Leistra on the purchase of your new bike’, after which the bike slowly rises via an opening in the floor in a lift. All for the luxury experience. That lift was specially made for the reveal box, which we made. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous when the TV screen with the speakers was placed in the casing, but fortunately it fitted perfectly”, sighs Van den Bergh.
Technical Manager John Smeets of Rockfon is not surprised by the beautiful end result. “We are dealing with real interior construction specialists here, who think in processes and solutions. We have had regular consultations, via Teams and on site. We have thought about details together. For example, to mount an extra profile at the hangers and to brace profiles so that there is no more movement possible in the frame of the island. All professional work. Hats off!”
