More than just theatre

This major project is located in the famous Spant! theatre in Bussum, in the heart of the Netherlands, some 22 kilometres from Amsterdam. Dutch architects Crielaers & Company were asked to take on the refurbishment and interior design of the entire basement, an area totalling some 1500 square metres. The basement complex houses various utility rooms, a bar and restaurant, private event rooms, the theatre’s wardrobe and services. Thanks to the addition of new skylights, the area finally receives the light of day.
„A well lit basement was an ambition we’d had for quite some time“, explains Paul Haighton, director of Spant!. „The presence of natural sunlight has allowed us to promote the venue for business conferences and represents undisputed added value for us. The main aim of the whole refurbishment project was to create an attractive interior. That’s why we commissioned architects Crielaers & Company to come up with a design capable of satisfying our requirements.“
Based on a palette of contrasting neutral and dark colours, the new basement is lit by bursts of bright blue light, mirror surfaces and clear glass. Furniture is sparse and essential but ideal for creating islands of privacy for guests around the bar and in the restaurant. The designers decided to cover the floor with contrasting materials to distinguish the different areas of the basement. Ceramiche Refin’s Design Tale Studio porcelain tile was selected for the central areas, with wood adopted for the more intimate spaces.
The collection chosen for this project is entitled Labyrinth Mirror. It’s designer, Giulio Iacchetti, describes his creation as follows: „For me, imagining and designing a tiled surface involves touching on the concepts of infinity and three-dimensionality by creating a modular motif that can be developed indefinitely in space. In this process I am often inspired by the graphic designs of M.C. Escher, to whom my work owes a lot. I try to imagine a graphic element that can be repeated in a matrix, creating patterns that develop around each other. The sometimes simple, sometimes complex lines created in this way always evoke a sense of depth. In this particular case, the result is a three-dimensional graphic labyrinth. Hence the name of the collection. This particular floor is based on a single geometric design covering just one tile. Lines link the middle of each side to the middle of the other side, forming opposing L-shaped elements. Depending on how the tiles are rotated when laid, this single design can create orderly square patterns, spaces crossed by zigzags, and even apparent chaos. One tile can create an amazing range of graphic solutions. In the Mirror collection, this graphic module is more complex and forms a mesh that amplifies the sensation of depth. The tiles also feature a subtle woven pattern inspired by the world of textiles. This creates a characteristic trompe-l’oeil effect and creates an eye-catching impression, like an illusory ceramic carpet.“
This unique interior design has added value to the entire refurbishment project, to the delight of the customer. As the theatre’s director comments: „We are really impressed with the results. We never imagined the project could turn out so well.“