Meubelshowroom Gent (BE)

Tablesquare, located on the Esplanade de la Défense, is a place dedicated to gastronomy. Composed of three independent buildings, each is located partly above and below the slab level. Accommodating restaurants, lounges and commercial spaces, they take advantage of lower level patios created by the partial removal of the slab to give light to generous spaces, bright and protected from the noisy activity of the esplanade. Through large glass facades, the interior spaces contribute to the animation of the square, to the spectacle of the square and attract the eye. The activity of the restaurants, staged, reflects a domestic scale that contrasts with that of the towers lining the esplanade. From the inside, the large openings in truncated “cones” frame the views of the major elements of the site – Grande Arche, skyline of the towers – offering a new perspective on the esplanade of La Défense. The exceptional character of the main building is expressed as much by the activities it hosts as by the sculptural character of its envelope. The fine work of folds and origami testifies to a search for pure and abstract form that frees itself, in appearance, from all constructive contingencies. The fine and sharp edges of the project suggest a precious image of a jewel case, underlined by the materials. This edifice, visible at a good distance, plays a role of calling, and constitutes the signal of the project.