Colourful office design in Belgium ‘stands out from the crowd'
The new Heydays office building in Deinze, Belgium, is defined by its colourful approach, created by architects Vens Vanbelle
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Colour and pattern dominate the uplifting architecture in this new workspace design in the sleepy Flemish city of Deinze. Created by Belgian architecture studio Vens Vanbelle, the colourful office project, developed for coaching experts Heydays, was designed to ‘stand out from the crowd', following the dynamic company’s motto.
Part of a busy road overlooking the local river, the Leie, the plot featured an existing building, which the architects reimagined creatively as an abstract, boxy volume clad in a black and white checkered pattern. More akin to a piece of sculpture or graphic art than a conventional workspace, the building is eye-catching and fun, conveying its residents' ethos. ‘The new building volume also forms a buffer between the busy street side and the nature at the rear,' the architects explain.
Stepping inside reinforces the initial impression, revealing a fittingly colourful interior. A long reception area in bright white and yellow tiles in zig-zag shapes immediately offers a splash of colour. ‘This space is the heart of the building,' the architects continue. ‘Here the users interact and meet, and there is the opportunity to soak up different atmospheres of the plot and the building.’
From there, meeting rooms, desk space, communal areas, and individual consultation rooms for client coaching sessions unfold, both on this floor and a further two levels above. A calming, minimalist white staircase connects all floors. The interior feels warm and homely throughout, with vibrant hues balanced by subtler tones, natural materials and soft furnishings to create a welcoming space. The design features red carpet and birch wood trim on the walls and ceiling, as well as large openings that frame the river views. A roof terrace allows more connections with the outdoors for employees and visitors.
‘For many people, a workplace is a place where they spend more time than they do in their own home, so the pleasant and homely character is extremely important,' conclude the design team. This new colourful office achieves this sense of warmth with aplomb, while at the same time creating a striking landmark for the city.
INFORMATION
vensvanbelle.be (opens in new tab)
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture Editor at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018) and Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020).
-
Hermès perfume Un Jardin à Cythère is a cinematic exploration of a Greek garden
With Un Jardin à Cythère, Hermès perfumer Christine Nagel recreates the sensations of crunchy grass, watery pistachios, and windswept olive trees
By Mary Cleary • Published
-
Exploration, travel, adventure: the lowdown on Herno’s S/S 2023 collection
A closer look at Herno’s latest collection, which riffs on the brand’s heritage with a new fashion-focused lens
By Jack Moss • Published
-
Constance Guisset makes her Fuorisalone debut with a scenographic design party
Salone del Mobile 2023: ‘Surprise Party! Carte Blanche à Constance Guisset Studio’ (17 April – 13May 2023) is the first Milanese solo show of the French designer
By Maria Cristina Didero • Published
-
Restored Villa Nisot in Brussels brings modernism to the 21st century
Restored Villa Nisot in Brussels updates modernism with contemporary character
By Siska Lyssens • Published
-
Wood Art Pavilion keeps its contents hidden from the world
Labscape’s Wood Art Pavilion is a secluded artist’s retreat in the leafy suburbs of Brussels, blending abstract shapes with natural light
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Belgian brick bungalow draws on Californian modernism
A new Belgian brick bungalow in the town of Zandhoven is designed by architect Hans Verelst as a nod to the modernist architecture of California
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
House Be is a minimalist dwelling amid nature
House Be by A2o architects is a minimalist family home rising from its green Belgian countryside setting
By Ellie Stathaki • Last updated
-
Hé Architectuur, Belgium: Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2022
Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory is our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios. From our 2022 list, meet Belgian studio Hé Architectuur and explore its house in Molenbeek that is a triumph of reuse
By Martha Elliott • Last updated
-
Tour & Taxis’ sustainable reimagining in Brussels
Tour & Taxis, a former mail facility in Brussels, is reimagined as an eco-led, mixed-use quarter by Belgian developer Extensa and an array of leading architects
By Ewa Effiom • Published
-
1960s bungalow renovation cuts cinematic dash in Belgium
House BPB, created by Belgian architect David Bulckaen, is the imaginative reintepretation of a 1960s bungalow into a dark, mysterious, contemporary house inspired by the movie A Single Man
By Ellie Stathaki • Last updated
-
Revisiting the concrete architecture of Belgian icon Juliaan Lampens
Once the lonely passion of a few devotees, the concrete architecture of Belgian architect Juliaan Lampens is a revelation; just don't call him a brutalist
By Ellie Stathaki • Last updated