Hidden away in a former parking lot, ökēn is neither a cocktail bar, nor a nightclub, nor simply a restaurant, but all three at once. A meeting with the masterminds behind this well-oiled trinity.
Heading towards Brussels. Under a 17th-century private mansione Hidden away in the 19th century, home to the private social club TheMerode, is an address for lovers of unique places. Named ökēn, it was designed to make you feel like you're in another world.
"By filling a void that we felt in the city",We wanted a space that elevates the nightlife experience beyond just a bar or club."Its name," explains one of the founders, Elio Pani, "is based on mixology, music, and also art." "reflects the aesthetics and concept we wanted to embody"Elio continues, that is "A blend of raw, natural Scandinavian style and Japanese minimalism. 'Oken' is an adjective of German-English origin that refers to minerality and natural elements like wood. As for the umlauts on the 'o' and the macron on the 'e', they were added to reinforce this Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetic touch." »
Tired of standardized and compartmentalized venues, the co-founder also sought "to avoid falling into strict categorization or being perceived as just a nightclub."“ökēn doesn’t want to be just a cocktail bar, just a nightclub, or just a restaurant. We want the establishment to be a space that constantly reinvents itself and isn’t static, thus maintaining a dynamic identity.”. » Also, he wants to leave nothing to chance in the future and sees ökēn as a laboratory for creation and collaboration, capable of evolving."For example, we could offer a comedy show one evening and a jazz bar another."
Speaking of collaboration, ökēn is also the result of encounters and fruitful partnerships. On the cocktail front, Alexis Mosselmans brings his mixology expertise. The menu includes a bergamot Daiquiri, a reinvented Bloody Mary, and a Long Island reimagined as the Short Island. As for the space itself, carte blanche was given to Erased Studio, a Brussels-based architectural duo. "The specifications were far from strict and allowed us to think about the project as a whole.", recount Elliott Housiaux and Paul-Émile De Smedt. "The original space was a former parking lot converted into an event hall with no particular architectural merit. We therefore had the freedom to rethink the composition of the space, adding structural elements to create new axes, views, perspectives, and moments of intimacy." To achieve this, the two Brussels-based designers structured the space around its seating, but also by using long bars that take on the appearance of "simple yet sculptural" monoliths. Finally, the walls feature luminous surfaces, as if to replace windows.
Another notable aspect is the reflection around the five senses. “This was an explicit request from the client: to offer guests a truly immersive experience. We first worked on the tactile quality of the materials, in dialogue with the luminous atmosphere of the surfaces. The soundscape was also meticulously designed, right down to the restrooms. Even the scents contribute to this immersion, blending the aroma of the space with that of the ingredients and products used for the cocktails. This is undoubtedly every architect's dream: to be able to design a project in its finest nuances and offer a unique, complete experience that can only be truly experienced on-site, never through a phone screen.”
Pl. Poelaert 6, Brussels (Belgium)
