“A precise and concise intervention that is generous in its flexibility.

It is almost like a
‘khaima’ tent in the simplicity and efficiency of its construction details.” – Louis Leger

AN URBAN ROOM
— Benoît Vandevoort

In 2017 Brussels Environment asked the young architecture firm Piovenefabi to

design five summer bars for different parks across Brussels: Maurice
(Cinquantenaire), Gisèle (La Cambre), Émile (Duden), Fabiola (Roi Baudouin) and
Henri (Georges Henri). The bars proved to be so successful that two more were
added in the summer of 2019: Jeanne (Rouge-Cloître) and André (Laeken).
Colloquially known as ‘guinguettes’, named after the eighteenth-century ephemeral
drinking and dancing venues around Paris, this series of equally uncomplicated
pavilions quickly grew into a familiar sight in the Brussels public space during
summer.

The design of the pavilions is surprisingly simple. It relies on basic architectural

operations. A rectangular frame of slender metal poles demarcates the perimeter of
the pavilion. This open structure is equipped with a textile, cream-coloured roof
cover, suspended from parallel cables that allow the fabric to undulate elegantly.
Depending on the weather, the roof can easily be opened or closed. Round lamps
attached to the poles make sure that the bars are well lit at night time. Positioned
against this metal structure, an actual bar kiosk harbours all the functional
equipment. Thanks to its modular design, the box-like kiosk can easily be
constructed and dismantled annually. Much like a stall, the top panels open up when
in use, while at the same time the bottom panels move outward and constitute the
counter.

This search for playful simplicity has become a characteristic trait in the budding
oeuvre of Piovenefabi (a combination of the last names of founders Ambra Fabi and
Giovanni Piovene). The Milan- and Brussels-based office is currently working on the
extension for the hotel Le Palace along Boulevard du Jardin Botanique, but they
have previously left their mark on the Belgian capital by means of small and refined
temporary projects, accommodating various activities. In 2018 a colourful circus-like
tent stood in front of the Bozar building during the Fernand Léger exhibition, and for
the 2016 edition of Parckdesign (a five-month design biennale with a focus on the
Brussels public space), they constructed their first park pavilion in Duden Park.

This Parckdesign pavilion laid the groundwork for the seven guinguettes. Designed
as a conglomerate of three functional structures grouped by a textile-roofed
perimeter, it would eventually see its functionality reduced to the single bar-kiosks.
The result, however, is similar: an urban ‘room’ effectively accommodates leisurely
gatherings by doing no more than covering and delineating a public area and giving
it direction by the presence of the bar. The high distillery structure of the original,
which served as a landmark, is reduced to a single lamp post, signalling the bar to
passers-by.
An important difference with regard to the 2016 Parckdesign pavilion is the
multiplicity of the assignment. To deal with this specific condition, Piovenefabi
created a variety of pavilions through a limited set of design alterations, allowing
each version to respond to the specific context and requirements of the different
parks. This entailed changes of orientation, dimension, inclination and colour.
Although the kiosks themselves are identical reproductions, their interiors match the
various colours of the metalwork. With this morphological similarity, Piovenefabi
made highly recognizable pavilions with little material, while at the same time
refraining from turning them into symbols.