Innovation
When sultans smoking opium, mirages and sand dunes form the inspiration of an interior design project, it’s safe to say you’re in for a ride. Two brothers from Brussels approached us to make their 170 m² hookah bar an exciting new place to drink, relax and smoke shisha. As an answer to this, we designed an elegant space that feels like a desert hallucination, M.C. Escher lithograph and dreamy trip to Morocco all at once.
Creativity
We wanted to play with the senses of visitors by designing an upside down riad. A wavy metal ceiling creates the illusion of a floating pool, and the reversed arches further magnify the distorted atmosphere. The arches made from chains add a visual surprise and make for a sensual reference to Arabian belly dancers. Traditional handcrafted Moroccan lights with a custom-designed pattern add a warm hue to the space, and an Escher-like round mirror intensifies the distorted sensorial experience.
Functionality
The entire design concept is centered around playing with the senses of visitors. Every detail holds a subtle reference and tells a story. We divided the space into distinct areas – each with its own seating options – to stimulate all types of interactions. Guests can also enjoy a cocktail in the speakeasy bar Le Fay on the first floor, a unique feature for a shisha lounge.
Sustainability
At WeWantMore we created an easy, designer proof classification system for our material library. The materials and brands are sorted using a simple color code – green, orange and red – which visualizes their environmental impact, making it possible for designers to keep track of the sustainable impact of a project. A solar-powered ventilation system provides the necessary airing. During the construction process the building was thoroughly isolated to lower the power consumption and its impact on the adjacent buildings.