Restaurant Octave
Interior and food design as an overall concept
The premium restaurant Octave is located in the largest museum of the world for Belgian chocolate. The overall interior and food design concept comes from the Antwerp-based creative studio real. The striking point in the central open area on the ground floor is the bar. An eye-catcher - staged with expressive ceramic tiles of Agrob Buchtal.
The Chocolate Nation adventure museum is located in the centre of Antwerp, directly opposite the main railway station. It is a place where above all chocolate lovers get their money's worth. There, the visitors can follow the journey of the cocoa beans from their place of origin via the Antwerp harbour to the production of the world-famous Belgian chocolate.
Finally, the sweet temptations can of course also be tasted. Those who have acquired a taste for chocolate will find more culinary delights in the exquisite museum restaurant Octave, named after the chocolate pioneer Octaaf Callebaut. In order to emphasize the link with the chocolate museum, real. decided both to pick up the tropical origin of the cocoa bean by means of botanical elements and to integrate the industrial aspect of chocolate production into the interior concept. real. is a creative studio in Antwerp which has specialized in the hotel and restaurant industry as well as retail trade. With a coordinated interior and food design, the studio aims at creating unique locations and places which can be experienced with all the senses. For the Octave restaurant, for example, the trends in the food sector are also kept in mind, including new ingredients, recipes, concepts and also the important subject of sensory perception.
Cathinca Arfman, interior designer in charge, used white marble, dark wood or chairs and benches in natural colours for the furnishings, which in turn were confidently combined with industrially connotated materials such as steel, brick walls and concrete floors. The whole ambience is characterized by the charm of the Belle Epoque, a time in which art made its way into everyday life and Belgian chocolate also became more and more popular.
Those who enter the restaurant are inevitably captivated by a bar located centrally in the room. It owes its impressive effect to the ceramic tile series Craft of Agrob Buchtal, which was used for an attractive vertical laying on the plinth.
Arfman was particularly fascinated by the 3D effect and the high-gloss surface: "There are certainly other brands supplying tiles with a 3D relief, but only Agrob Buchtal's series was able to offer us this high-gloss look.
Craft is a collection which in combination with firing temperature and open flame guidance, enables particularly luminous and intensive colourations. In addition, high-gloss glazes create an impressive visual depth and transparency as well as a lively play of colours.
Today, ceramic tiles are predominantly produced horizontally by rapid firing and in a roller-type kiln. Craft on the other hand, is produced uprightly by long-time firing in the classic tunnel kiln. There, the natural play of the fire creates a natural, archaic look and, in addition, allows unique tiles to be made piece by piece.
