cuypers & Q architects redesigned the store by creating a contemporary, future-proof interior that reflects the company’s new branding and values. The result is a circular, sustainable concept that reuses existing materials and integrates bold, innovative design elements inspired by the local context.
As a family business transitioning to a new generation, Simonet positions itself as a forward-looking optical store in Wallonia, with a focus on craftsmanship, customer engagement, and sustainability. It is a longstanding fixture in its community, with a reputation that extends across the entire region and beyond. A central premise of the concept is the reference to the nearby Carrières du Hainaut quarry and the historic coal mine of Frameries. This inspiration is made tangible through the use of 3D-printed rock formations and functional conveyor belts, evoking the movement and materiality of the quarry.
The store is structured around a striking central blue core, which houses storage and service areas. Surrounding this core, customers encounter a warm-toned sales area, a playful children’s corner and a minimalist white gallery adjacent to the optometry rooms.
The layout emphasizes experience and interaction: even from the public space, passersby can activate the conveyor belt from the street to bring merchandise toward the window display, while children can explore an elevated play zone featuring glasses made from laser-cut residual materials.
Adults are welcomed into designated seating zones with modular cushions in shades from fresh pink to autumn orange, which can be changed with the seasons. They can also explore the gallery, where the latest eyewear designs activate digital AR interfaces when tried on. Behind the scenes, craftsmanship is made visible through a transparent ‘atelier,’ discreetly separated from the shop floor by folding flaps. The store is furnished with a mix of modular and playful elements, including carousel-inspired displays.
Based on MEYE’s concept—which applies a theoretical approach to the layout of an optical store, dividing it into distinct corners—the specific needs for functional lighting, costumer flows and spatial organization were defined. In collaboration with the Circular Interior Guide and researchers from Thomas More and Circular Flanders, circular strategies, principles, and business models were explored through a series of workshops. This process led, among other outcomes, to a precise dissection of the interior, distinguishing between fixed, semi-detachable, and highly modular elements.
Every aspect of the design considers the lifecycle of materials, prioritizing reuse, modularity, and renewable resources. Sunlight is filtered through a unique curtain made from recycled spectacle lenses—a symbolic and practical gesture. Customers are not only immersed in a highly tactile and sensory retail experience but are also subtly invited to engage with ideas of sustainability and the future of design.
Simonet Optical Store
Cuypers & Q Architecten
Silver

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Designer
Client
Simonet Optique
Floor area
260 ㎡
Completion
2024
Budget
€ 710 000
Furniture
Lighting