IVC's new Flooring Development Centre
Harmony in form and function
If you drive along the E17 highway near the Belgian town of Waregem, you can’t miss it: IVC Group’s new Flooring Development Centre, the new home of its commercial and design departments as well as its customer-centred flooring inspiration space. The architect who helped IVC with this project, Glenn Sestig, had a double mission: to respect the iconic building’s original distinctiveness – its known for its angular shapes and large pitched-roof structures — while fulfilling IVC’s contemporary expectations.
IVC’s wish list for this architectural balancing act was very specific:
“The new Flooring Development Centre had to become an inspiring place where customers, designers and architects from around the globe can intuitively discover IVC’s latest designs, innovations and R&D developments.” Cindy Van Moorleghem, marketing director at IVCCreating an IVC customer journey in the showroom
The new location houses IVC’s sales, marketing and design departments, as well as a showroom for all commercial and residential brands. That showroom has been divided into sections through the clever use of material and design, and visitors are intuitively guided from one space to the other. Potential customers that embark on this journey of discovery through IVC’s portfolio encounter:
1. The IVC Commercial Library
The Library features IVC’s collections for the project market via modifiable mood boards and sample storage units mounted onto the stripped concrete walls. Add to that the coffee corners where visitors can take breaks whenever they want, and you get an informal yet inspiring studio-like atmosphere.
2. Moduleo House
The space is home to one of IVC’s most popular residential brands. This area has a more domestic feel and displays flooring materials in a way that highlights attainability and comfort.
3. The Residential Market Place
This is where all IVC’s B2C brands are showcased. This area invites buyers to compose their own collections with all materials on hand and aims to inspire retailers to present flooring materials similarly in their own stores.
Boosting collaboration through inspirational design
IVC and Glenn Sestig made design a functional part of the Flooring Development Centre. “Glenn and his team successfully gave each floor a different aesthetic identity”, Cindy explains. “On the first floor, our sales and marketing department will feel at home in an office area defined by green tones and contrasting materials that blend harmoniously together. On the second floor, however, dark reddish colours create a more intense ambiance to provide our creative teams with a stimulating setting that’s made to measure.”
The architect’s view on the project? “The Flooring Development Centre is a telling example of how a building can tie architecture and materials together into one aesthetic whole that brings a company’s vision to life”, Glenn concludes. “In IVC’s case, the building has become a place to showcase its innovative efforts in developing technical, aesthetic, comfortable and durable materials to the entire world.” That’s how IVC truly goes beyond flooring.Download full Story (766 kb)
Eager to experience our new Flooring Development Centre for yourself?
Make an appointment with one of our sales managers.
