- Interior
The ocean has fascinated us humans for centuries. Not only adventurers and scientists, but also poets, architects and artists have experienced its appeal. And this is still the case: architecture and interior design in proximity to the ocean are often designed in function of it. That is also the case for Sky Tower One in Ostend, Belgium.
The view, the smell, the warm or cold wind are all characteristics that draw people to the sea. Architects and interior designers usually try to emphasise the charm of the ocean as much as possible in their designs. Tjip, a Belgian interior design studio about which you can read more in our Imagicasa Real Estate in the Autumn 2020 edition, succeeds exceptionally well.
The beige tiles and walls have exactly the same colour as the beach sand.
The studio was founded in 2012 by Jakob Vyncke and Thomas Meesschaert. The agency's exceptional name is a reference to the bird species hidden in their surnames Vyncke and Meesschaert. In Dutch ‘tjip’ is the sound a bird makes. The charming duo designed the interior of the Sky Tower One in Ostend. 
The aim of the interior architects was to make the interior disappear so the view and the surroundings can dominate the design. Tjip describes itself as a specialist in creating an experience with interior architecture. In Sky Tower One, the surroundings became a large part of that experience. The interiors are sand-coloured with huge windows directed at the ocean, the beach and also the busy city centre of Ostend. The colour palette consists of white, dark brown, light brown and beige and the style is minimalist with hidden cupboards and straight lines. Decoration is rare but that makes the selected works of art all the more beautiful. 
This interior embodies a home to retreat into that does not clash with the colours and movements of the outside. The beige tiles and walls have exactly the same colour as the beach sand in summer. When you walk into a flat in Sky Tower One it almost feels unnatural that no grains of sand stick between your toes. 
Photography by Piet-Albert Goethals | Valerie Clarysse | Annick Vernimmen