THANKS TO OUR INTENSIVE COOPERATION WE EXCEED OURSELVES.
Liquidfloors and Vandecasteele & Vanhooren have been working together enthusiastically for ten years. The reason for this special collaboration? Liquidfloors founder Miguel Garcia and architect Kris Vandecasteele explain it themselves.
First things first, Miguel, what makes Liquidfloors so special?
Miguel Garcia: “Ten years ago, cast floors were industrial products. I dreamed of applications in contemporary interiors, but the available options were not made for that. So we did it ourselves, an intense path of development and refinement followed. From the very beginning, we focused on cast floors for the higher segment. A different quality, durability and comfort. Visually our floors function as a pure canvas. Their seamless character is as striking as subtle as a design finish.”
DETAILS MAKE THE PROJECT
Kris, how did you as an architect met Liquidfloors for the first time?
Kris Vandecasteele: “I didn't want to compromise with grids and lines in a design. Liquidfloors is actually a room-wide tile, without seams. That gives me freedom as an architect. At the same time, the floor does not scream for attention. It makes the rest of the interior stand out better.”
Miguel Garcia: “In addition to aesthetic choices, our floors also offer technical benefits. This way it can be perfectly combined with underfloor heating and it always feels soft and warm. Thanks to the wall application, you create a walk-in shower without joints and silicones, so that it requires hardly any maintenance.”
How simple – or difficult – is the installation of such seamless solution?
Kris: “Once the floor has been installed, it looks surprisingly simple. But such a great result requires a lot of attention to details. That is why a good planning is needed with professionals who go to great lengths. Successful projects require well-organized partners. Sound project management is just as crucial as the quality of the products.”
Miguel: “We try to unburden architects as much as possible. That is why we make a specific logbook for each project, in which all the different steps in the process are accurately planned. In addition, we take the interests of the architect into account as much as possible.”
Concrete, how is the interaction between architect, designer and producer??
Kris: “A partnership grows and relies on trust. Since we have been working together for ten years, Liquidfloors knows perfectly what we care about. We don't have to keep repeating important points. I know they understand why I want a certain detail or something like that. And those guidelines are consistently honored. It is precisely this strong partnership that ensures strong results for the client. The urge to get everything right down to the details, you can't tell from a quote.”
Miguel: “Our mission is to understand and materialize the vision of the designer. To capture the details that determine the magic of the project. That is a relationship of trust. It is collaboration based on shared values. And yes, that often requires empathy and perseverance, but it is precisely in this in-depth cooperation that there is the chance to surpass. You achieve a synergy that yields much more than the sum of parts, and in the end serves primarily the customer.”
1 + 1 = 3
Kris: “Seamless flooring has become a timeless concept. Cast floors certainly deserve their place alongside traditional materials such as glass, ceramics, concrete and wood. Colors and hues can and will evolve, but cast floors have anchored themselves in contemporary architecture. Liquidfloors plays an important role in this as a pioneer. And they continue to do so in their search for new applications. That makes it fascinating to work together. They are able to follow our finishing standards, which means that there are many possibilities in the future.”
No compromises with grids and lines. The seamlessness of Liquidfloors gives me freedom as an architect.
Kris Vandecasteele
