Over the past three years MANIERA has worked on its biggest project so far: the interior design of Silversquare Central in the heart of Brussels, next to the Central Station. Within the framework of the former Shell headquarters, a modernistic building from 1934 by architects Alexis Dumont and his younger fellow Marcel Van Goethem – the duo behind the former Citroën-dealership, which is currently transformed into Kanal Pompidou – MANIERA commissioned twelve architects and artists to develop new pieces that fit the context of a coworking space. In close collaboration with doorzon interieur architecten for the general layout and Piovenefabi for the restaurant MANIERA curated the transformation of the 6.000 m2 big space. To reveal and preserve the beauty of the original architecture, they stripped the space and left technical elements bare. A new concrete central staircase improves the connection between all floors. In this rough context greenhouse frames bring structure and function as closed offices or meeting rooms. In this rather industrial environment the often-colourful furniture and textile pieces come to life.
 
 
While circa half of the projects are made by people who already worked with the gallery, MANIERA also used this opportunity to give young and upcoming talents a chance. Within the strict typological requirements of the coworking space, the twelve studios developed furniture within their own artistic language or ‘maniera’. As most of them work with standard building materials, the often-unconventional pieces enter into a natural dialogue.
 
 
A JDVIV i.c.w. Onbetaalbaar
Christoph Hefti
doorzon interieur architecten
FELT Architecture & Design
jo taillieu architecten
Maxime Prananto
MOS Architects
OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen
Piovenefabi
Richard Venlet i.c.w. Leander Venlet
Stéphane Barbier Bouvet
Studio Verter