Belgian award-winning chocolatier Joost Arijs opens 'The Bakery' with (interior) architecture by Glenn Sestig Architects

On 9 December, Joost Arijs will open 'The Bakery' next to his viennoiserie on Vlaanderenstraat in Ghent, Belgium. There, the award-winning Belgian chocolatier aims to lift artisan bread and viennoiserie to a higher level and take a different approach to the baking craft. For the (interior) architecture, Arijs engaged Belgian top architect Glenn Sestig. The two Belgians found each other in a functionalist, minimalist design with a leading role for the product and a visible baker's studio.

A 100% Ghent character
'The Bakery' will be the second business in the heart of Ghent for Joost Arijs and his girlfriend Elke De Baerdemaeker. It is a project the award-winning pastry chef and chocolatier has long been keen on. When the premises next to the pastry shop became available, he took his chance. In 'The Bakery', you will be able to taste a fine selection of artisan breads and viennoiserie with a clear Joost Arijs stamp. Think sleek pastries with culinary fillings, surprising shapes and colours and delicious sourdough breads.

For Joost Arijs, opting for sourdough is not only an obvious choice - he believes "Sourdough should be the standard" - it also creates the possibility for the baker to bake during the day, letting the bread ferment at night, thus eliminating the heavy night work. In this way there is time to bake throughout the day and thus always have fresh products on the counter. 'The Bakery' will not be open on Sundays: again, primarily to adapt bakery life to the rhythm of today's society. Depending on practical feasibility, the bakery workshop and pastry shop will be connected at the back.

"Far away from mass production, we want to be able to bake, display, package and sell our sourdough breads and viennoiserie with the utmost care and dedication." (Joost Arijs)

Interior with contrasts
For the (interior) architecture of the new bakery, Arijs chose to work with Glenn Sestig Architects. The pastry chef and internationally renowned top architect found a match in the pared-down and austere, yet warm and authentic design of the bakery. A terrazzo floor and details in natural stone were brought together with a counter in brushed stainless steel and bread shelves in walnut. It creates fascinating contrasts between architecture and craftsmanship on the one hand, and between austere and warm materials on the other. The bakery workshop will be visible from the shop. This too is a deliberate move to show and strengthen the link with craftsmanship. If you want to have breakfast at the bakery or satisfy a small hunger, you can do so at the window overlooking Ghent on one of the robust stools by Belgian designer Bram Vanderbeke.

'The Bakery' blends nicely into Glenn Sestig Architects' portfolio, which is filled with residential and commercial commissions, as well as product development. With 'The Bakery', Sestig once again succeeded in creating a unique place by intuitively translating the client's request into a functional space with an endless sense of timelessness, materials and the perception of space.

“Putting myself completely in the head of the client - and the consumer in commercial projects - allows me to put my stamp on very diverse projects every time. They are clearly my own, but are in no way similar.” (Glenn Sestig)

SAVVY x Joost Arijs: international press relations
More info: moduus