Et Claire Antwerp / Heinzel De Vries

Architects: Heinzel De Vries
Year: 2025
Photography: Chantal Arnts
Client: Et Claire
City: Antwerp
Country: Belgium

The Amsterdam-based interior architecture studio Heinzel De Vries has designed the second outpost of Et Claire, a French-inspired viennoiserie, in the historic center of Antwerp. Building on the brand’s success in Amsterdam since 2022, the Antwerp venue offers an elevated setting for artisanal pastries, champagne, and refined aperitifs. The design concept translates the craft of pastry-making into spatial form, drawing inspiration from laminated dough and its delicate layers. A warm palette of buttery yellow, bespoke furniture with soft curves, and luxurious material finishes reinforce a sense of indulgence and refinement. Guests encounter a striking éclair-shaped counter at the entrance, complemented by brass accents, velvety seating, and an onyx-topped bar. The open kitchen highlights the artisanal process at the heart of the brand, making craftsmanship a visible element of the guest experience. With this expansion, Et Claire extends its presence into Belgium while reinforcing Heinzel De Vries’ reputation for narrative-driven design and refined hospitality environments

Materiality at Et Claire is all about warm, rich yellow tones combined with beautiful textures and subtle sheen. We chose velour for the curved sofas, custom silk lamps that add elegance, and a brass counter that brings warmth and a touch of luxury. Together, these materials create a tactile and visually rich environment that perfectly complements the brand’s identity.
Interview with Barbara de Vries and Tinka Heinzel of Heinzel De Vries

The Antwerp edition of Et Claire is more than a simple continuation of its Amsterdam predecessor; it is a careful exploration of how the tactile and sensory qualities of pastry can be expressed spatially. Heinzel De Vries approached the commission with a focus on translating the poetry of baking into architectural language, ensuring that the interior embodies the same richness and delicacy found in the confections themselves.

At first encounter, the butter-yellow façade with its striped awnings suggests the warmth of a Parisian pâtisserie, setting the stage for the interior’s layered elegance. The design’s centerpiece, an éclair-shaped counter, underscores the brand’s identity while establishing a strong sculptural anchor for the space. Around it, golden seating and mirrored walls contribute to a setting that feels simultaneously intimate and expansive, offering guests a refined sense of immersion.

Layering, inspired directly by laminated dough, informs not only the counter’s form but also the bar’s gleaming brass surfaces, the rhythm of custom paneling, and even the detailing of furniture. Material selection deepens this sensory narrative. Upholstered couches in velvety yellow embrace tables and counters of onyx, while silk and brass wall lamps disperse a subdued glow across tinted mirrors. A natural-stone mosaic floor adds depth and permanence, grounding the otherwise soft and feminine environment.

The open kitchen, placed at the rear, frames the craft of pâtisserie as an integral part of the guest experience, reinforcing the transparency of creation. Even the upper-level restrooms contribute to the story, rendered in rich chocolate tones that extend the design’s sensory associations into unexpected corners of the interior.

“Designing Et Claire Antwerp was an invitation to translate the poetry of pastry into spatial experience. We focused on warmth, luxury and a compelling journey, where every layer and curve was conceived to tempt the senses,” note Tinka Heinzel and Barbara de Vries, reflecting on the project’s intent.

In Antwerp, Heinzel De Vries has reaffirmed its capacity to merge storytelling and design. Every surface and curve conveys a sense of indulgence, while the material palette articulates both refinement and approachability. For Et Claire, this new location is not only an expansion but also an affirmation of its ethos: an elegant, all-day destination where design and gastronomy meet in harmony.