Floor Stories

Hospital Ixells Brussels

➜ BELGIUM, BRUSSELS, 2018.08

Hospitals are often renovated or extended, and this was the case at the Ixelles in Brussels. In 2009, the entrance area was renovated and I had the pleasure of creating 500 m² of art-on-floor in the foyer and the cafeteria. The facility is now having a day clinic added to it and great store is also being set here by the interior design and creating a pleasant atmosphere – not just for the patients and their visitors but also to increase the well-being factor for the doctors, health care professionals and other staff. The fresh colours that were worked into the motifs on the floor are an integral part of the concept and were chosen to harmonise with the furniture, giving the interior a sense of warmth. The motif that I opted for was a variety of large, rounded circles with coloured lines which are spread out over the surface.

Small and Perfectly

➜ GERMANY, 2018.07

A beautiful floor was here for many years, serving as a small entrance to a modern apartment. The lighting on the ceiling and the art on the walls matched the design of the floor, creating a wonderful overall concept which perfectly encapsulated the personality of the inhabitants. The apartment then unfortunately suffered water damage and large holes had to be drilled into the floor so that drying equipment could remove all the excess water. When everything was back to normal, we repaired the holes, prepared the floor and created a new art-on-floor floor on the surface. Technically this posed no problems since the structure of PU floorings is only around 3 millimetres thick, making it ideal for renovating existing surfaces.

Colouful Cans

➜ 2018.06

The resin that we obtain from the manufacturer is delivered in large metal buckets that we call cans. They weigh some 23kg and are tightly sealed so that nothing untoward can happen to them when they are being transported. For big projects, we need a lot of resin and cans, and it is quite a logistical challenge to arrange the can in the correct order of colours so that they are ready to be applied at the right time. What I like most are the drops of colour which build up at the edge of the buckets when the resin is poured out, decorating the cans and making for an attractive working environment.

Ice Floe

➜ GERMANY, 2018.05

This project saw us implement an unusual idea, namely „Life on an ice floe“. The white floor of the apartment has tiny, delicate lines near the wall, as you would find at the edge of an ice floe. This creates a wonderful effect that radiates throughout all the rooms and integrates the built-in furniture. To place this design over a surface of more than 160m², you need comprehensive technical expertise, a lot of experience, skilled hands and the willingness to spend a lot of time on your knees …

Salone del Mobil Milano

➜ ITALY, MILANO, 2018.04

The Salone del Mobile (www.salonemilano.it) saw the eyes of the design world turn to Milan. There was everything that you could possibly imagine, from electrifying exhibitions via colourful pop-ups to exciting parties featuring newcomers onto the scene.

The latest design ideas took over the creative districts in the city and made for unforgettable impressions – a veritable feast of colours, shapes and ideas that simply had to be seen to be believed!

Floors are always part of the Milan experience, and every year I discover yet more unique carpets, tiles and parquet floors. Personalisation and individual styles are very much the order of the day at the moment.

Hospital Ixells, Brussels

➜ BELGIUM, BRUSSELS, 2018.03

As a rule, hospitals are not a place that you enjoy frequenting, either as a patient or a visitor. This makes it even more important for the interior design to provide a pleasant environment. It creates an increased sense of well-being: not just for the two categories of people mentioned above, but also for the staff – the doctors, carers and other people who work there.

A number of years ago, I was already fortunate enough to work on the HIS Hospital in Brussels, designing the foyer of a new building there, and now this design concept is being extended to the new out-patient clinic.

Together with Assar Architects, I worked on a colour concept which creates an inviting atmosphere as well as a bright, friendly mood. The fresh colours that I used in the motifs on the floor give the interior a certain warmth. The motifs I chose were rounded circles of different sizes with coloured lines, divided up rhythmically across the surface.

Sterile Rooms

➜ GERMANY, CONSTANZE, 2018.08

Sterile Rooms do not have to look sterile.

„We make you smile!“ is the slogan at Dr Marc Ullrich’s dental surgery practice in Stockach on Lake Constance. Mine is equally positive in outlook – „Life is fun, life is colour!“

When it came to renovating his dental surgery practice, we implemented an unusual new interior design concept, with powerful colours on the floor, then bright white on the walls and the furniture. Tying in with the corporate design of the clinic, the floor resonates with orange, blue, green and purple, providing an exciting contrast with its white surroundings. 

The cast resin floor is in a different colour on every storey, with semi-circular coloured motifs providing structure which underscores the usage of the rooms. In the semi-circular surfaces I used the watering can to pour out white lines which tie in with the white on the walls. The seamless cast resin floor perfectly meets the hygiene requirements of a clinic, while its technical properties make it both comfortable and easy to maintain.

656 m² of art on floor was implemented in conjunction with repoxit throughout the entire clinic building as part of the scope of the project, which included two stairwells, the underground car park und technical facilities.

Structures and Graphic Shapes

➜ 2018.01

January is traditionally trade fair month, with Heimtextil in Frankfurt, domotex in Hanover, imm-cologne and Maison&Objet in Paris to name but a few. They seem to follow one after another in quick succession, with some of them even overlapping. Each fair is a feast for the eyes, but with so much to see, it is often difficult to take a step back to find the inspiration that you are looking for. I tend to pick one subject and use that as my „search filter“, and this year I was concentrating on structures and graphic shapes. To find and recognise them, I have to shut my mind off to the colours. The output this January was enormous, and I was lucky enough to come across a wide variety of wonderful shapes. Implementing them in my work, however, will require even more inspiration on my part …

New Year

➜ 2017.12

New is the year, new are the hopes and the aspirations, new is the resolution, new are the spirits and forever my warm wishes are for you. Have a promising and fulfilling new year.

Urban Flooring – Structure and Surface Feel

➜ 2017.11

We are permanently either standing or walking on surfaces of all kinds without ever paying any real attention to the structure. My „urban flooring“ research saw me set off with my magnifying glass in hand, on the look-out for all kinds of surfaces. And what I found was a variety of smooth, reflective, rugged, rough, fine, gravelly and stony structures. Urban surfaces for the most part have a covering which is exposed to all kinds of weather conditions, rarely gets cleans and leaves little room for the rest of the environment. Urban floor coverings are in heavy use and have to withstand extreme wear and tear.

Grand Opening Medicus Clinic

➜ POLAND, WROCLAW, 2017.10

The medicus building was newly constructed solely for the use of the clinic, and specially designed for ear, nose and throat surgery.

Our work on behalf of this client saw us focus in particular on matching the colours of the floor as harmoniously as possible with the materials used and the shades that make up the corporate identity of the clinic. Throughout the creative process, triangle shapes with smoothly rounded corners come to the fore in the motifs and the design.

When you come into the building, you are greeted by an atrium full of natural light. There is also an inviting lounge area, which I fitted out with three rugs, of different shapes and sizes. The motifs I chose were the lines which I had already applied on the first-floor surface with my watering can, and which I carried over onto the rugs.

A spiral staircase leads to the reception area and waiting rooms on the first floor. I applied my line designs to the whole waiting area around the atrium using my watering can, making this particular zone stand out visually as well as being recognisable for what it is. I also applied playful spiral patterns to the floor in the children’s play area.

On the second floor, I imitated the style of the building by adding a few triangles with smoothed edges. These shapes and lines can also be found in the passageway to the underground car park.

The floor, the lines and the shapes are part of an overall concept for the interior. Thanks to its technical characteristics, the seamless floor serves the hygienic needs of a hospital it also absorbs sound effectively, as well as being very comfortable and easy to clean.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team from J.S.K Architects, Arpox flooring and resin coatings, Sika material manufacturers and German Rugs for what turned out to be highly creative and hugely successful project together.

Hard work but a lot of fun and a beautiful end product.

me@work

➜ FRANCE, PARIS, 2017.09

January is traditionally trade fair month, with Heimtextil in Frankfurt, domotex in Hanover, imm-cologne and Paris – city of art and architecture – is both exciting and inspiring, and always has new things to discover. The latest that I came across is the „Métamorphose de la Tour Montparnasse“ exhibition at the Pavillon de L’Arsenal. The Montparnasse Tower is an office block that stands some 210 metres high in the south-central part of the city. It was built between 1969 and 1973 by architect Roger Saubot, on the site of the original Montparnasse station that was demolished in 1965. It is 59 storeys high, making it the second-highest construction in the French capital after the Eiffel Tower. Until 2011, it was the tallest high-rise building in France, before it was overtaken by the Tour First in the La Défense quarter, which is the largest office district in Europe. The towers and buildings are certainly breath-taking, but the best-known structure is the Grande Arche.

make like

➜ 2017.08

August is a month for relaxing, spending time outside in the sun, and either chilling or making the most of your summer. Parisians, for example, tend to flee the city and head for either the countryside or the coast. …I too have been enjoying this particular season, and checking out all of the incredible shapes and colours that August has to offer. And I am sure that the great outdoors will give me plenty of inspiration for some great out – and in – floors …

and action!

➜ 2017.07

Creating art on floor is manual labour, and extremely tiring. At the end of any project, it is all I can do to drag myself to the sofa for a well-earned rest.

It is very much art in action – in every sense of the word!

Florapark

➜ GERMANY, MAGDEBURG, 2017.06

The Florapark has recently undergone a redesign in order to give it a new lease of life, and the renovation is now almost complete. We were privileged to asked to make an initial contribution to the visual image back in 2015, and we have just added a second element. Andreas Schulze of A&S Fussbodentechnik joined in …

Mini-Floors

➜ 2017.05

Before I lay my ideas down onto larger surfaces, I try out every step first of all on a smaller space. Only once I am satisfied with the result do I then begin crafting my floor systems, but again only as small patterns. This is particularly timeconsuming and requires a lot of manual labour.

Medicus Clinic

➜ POLAND, WROCLAW, 2017.04

Medicus – who specialise in medical devices and equipment for ear, nose and throat surgery – have built an entirely new clinic. In cooperation with J.S.K. Architects and together with Arpox, we implemented a discreet floor that follows the modern architectural concept.

Watering Can

➜ 2017.03

My most useful tool, and one that is simply great to ‘paint’ with. Whenever I carry a few of them around with me, I can see people wondering what I am going to be doing with them!

These Boots

➜ 2017.02

… were made for working. They do not look as elegant as high heels, but they are definitely as difficult to walk with, leaving me stiff-legged on occasions!

Tools and Things

➜ 2017.01

Working on a job site is always a challenge, but it is also so much fun. We need all kinds of tools of all descriptions to implement art on floor.

Orthodontia Clinic Germany

➜ GERMANY, STOCKACK, 2016.12

‘We make you smile’ is the mission of Marc Ulrich. ‘Life is joyful, life is colourful’ is mine. Together with my team from repoxit, we implemented art on floor throughout the entire building, including two staircases. To correspond to Ulrich’s CI, we used bright orange, blue, green, purple and white.

Berlinerliste

➜ GERMANY, BERLIN, 2016.09

Berlin Art Week showcases contemporary art from all over the world, through events, exhibition openings, artist films and art fairs, of which the BerlinerListe is one.

Big Size

➜ 2016.08

As you can imagine, organising job sites is quite a challenge, with many things having to be taken into consideration. While we are implementing the project, nobody must walk on our floor, which is not always easy on a big job site.

Kölnerliste

➜ GERMANY, COLOGNE, 2016.04

For all art lovers… An opportunity to take in contemporary art and chat with the artists who are exposing their work. The exhibition takes place during the ART Cologne Fair.