Dining with Vincent – Design challenge – A restaurant inspired by Vincent Van Gogh

Dining with Vincent – Design challenge – A restaurant inspired by Vincent Van Gogh

THE LIFE OF VINCENT VAN GOGH

Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most influential artists to have contributed to both the Post-Impressionist era and Western Art. While his artistic career only spanned a decade he created over 800 oil paintings out of a complete body of more than 2000 artworks.

Unfortunately, the artistic genius battled many years of mental illness that culminated with his suicide at the age of 37.

In his brief career as an artist, Van Gogh came to inhabit the city of Arles in France where he produced some of his most famous work and experienced his first mental breakdown.

Today this city continues to celebrate the life of the artist and is home to memorials commemorating the artist’s life in the city even while many of the structures were destroyed. Nevertheless, tourists who visit Arles for the artist can trace his life across the city and experience the source of his inspiration.

CELEBRATING THE ARTIST

Nurturing the existing historical sites is just as important as creating and nurturing new experiences for visitors. In Arles since people can no longer visit the structures inhabited by Van Gogh, creating new experiences that celebrate the artist is imperative to continue attracting tourists.

The challenge here is to envision a themed restaurant inspired by the works of Vincent Van Gogh.

Consider the history of the artist tied to the city as well as the influence of the space on his style of work and design a truly immersive experience for Van Gogh enthusiasts. The restaurant can be either completely inspired by the work of the artist or borrow cues and details from the artist’s bold, expressive and colourful art. Both the structure and the interiors must reflect the source of inspiration.