oever gallery by 5AM is a minimalist concrete haven in belgium

5am nods to ostend’s urban character and art scene

Oever Gallery is the latest cultural addition to the East Bank harbor area of Ostend in Belgium. Completed by spatial design studio 5AM and home to modern artworks, the 150 square-meter gallery space reveals a minimalist concrete backdrop with colorful accents that pay tribute to the coastal city’s urban character and historical link to Brussels — as referenced in the project name. ‘Oever is Dutch for shore or bank. The concrete kind,’ notes the studio. According to 5AM, Belgians residing in the capital commonly flocked to the Ostend shores, turning it into a popular seaside getaway nicknamed ‘Bruxelles plage’. Beyond its coastal charm, the city also doubles as a haven for creatives with its very own street art festival — making it the ideal setting for this vibrant gallery space.

all images © SKINN BRANDING AGENCY

oever gallery: a concrete backdrop with vibrant color accents

Combining all of these features into a spatial design concept, 5AM (see more here) ‘decided to flip things around and recreated the typical street artist’s canvas, the concrete jungle, in a minimal, stripped-down version inside the gallery.’ This minimal approach is guided by a monochrome gray palette inside the Oever Gallery that recalls Ostend’s roughness and concrete-dominated urban fabric. Contrasting the raw and muted backdrop are colorful accents as well as smooth, modern features — including vibrant artwork displays, cartoon-inspired electric blue chairs, brushed aluminum, and mirrors. Program-wise, the gallery is fitted with its own in-house coffee shop and store concept.

‘Urban art often functions as cultural commentary, regularly infused with bold shapes and colors, pop-art inspiration, and recognisable cartoon characters, combined with a signature streak of sobering humor. Leave it to 5AM to integrate these elements in a subtle yet undeniable way,’ shares the team.

Oever Gallery by 5AM opened in Ostend, Belgium

creating a flexible and multipurpose, open-plan layout

Organized as an open-plan space, Oever Gallery’s multipurpose character is centered around a smart freestanding system, allowing the in-house team to break down the layout into different zones. Depending on needs and upcoming events or exhibitions, these zones can be ‘assembled’ or ‘expanded’ at any time without compromising the overall aesthetic established by the 5AM team. Once the final layout is set up, the gallery can inject display elements as well as backgrounds in different sizes and colors. The gallery is currently hosting an exhibition by NYC graffiti artist John CRASH Matos titled ‘SUBWAY / CANVAS / STREET’, on view until September 10, 2023 — for more details, visit this page.

a minimalist concrete backdrop referencing the city’s urban character