You need trust to build on'
Heineken Design Department looks beyond the borders
'I've never built the perfect pub. And I never will, as that's impossible. After
each job you think: I should have done that differently.' Wim van Ingen of the
Heineken Design Department is a designer of pubs. His work takes him all
over the world.
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assesses the project, studies, takes
photographs and measurements.
'Visiting other local outlets is very
important, as you need to know how
the on-premise trade fits together in
that country, you have to learn the
culture of the country and find out
what the consumer expects of an out
let. Over the years 1 have certainly
learnt that simply transplanting a
replica of a Dutch pub interior to
another country definitely doesn't
work'.
Often, Van Ingen puts pen to paper
on the spot and starts to sketch out the
first vague outlines. 'But some proj
ects can be so complicated that I only
come up with ideas when 1 get back to
the drawing board at home.'
Personality
During his trip the hotel and bar
architect also tries to find out more
about the person running the outlet.
'Not just his ideas about the outlet but
also what he's like as a person. In that
way I can get an impression of the
style and personality of the outlet. A
good interior is like a tailor-made suit;
it must fit its owner perfectly', says
Van Ingen.
Once all contracts have been sign
ed between Heineken, the agent and
the proprietor, Wim van Ingen starts
working out his ideas in greater
detail, drawing design plans and com
piling the technical specifications.
That entire package, accompanied by
a time schedule and a budget, is sent
to the proprietor and the agent.
Normally speaking, this is when
the project is finished for him, as actu
al construction of the interior is usual
ly handled by local building contrac
tors. Van Ingen thinks this is sometim
es a pity. 'Sometimes I receive photos
of the bar after it has been completely
fitted out and I see that changes have
been made which, in my view, are
certainly not improvements.'
Image
Naturally, a bar architect working
for Heineken will give the pub interior
that Heineken image. And yet Van
Ingen doesn't make it his principle to
drape the pub full of Heineken adver
tisements.
Wim van Ingen has his office at
home. On the wall hangs a
map of the world marked
with the places where he is active for
Heineken. Pub interiors all over the
globe carry his signature.
Van Ingen can draw on many
years of experience built up in the
Dutch licensed trade. Countless out
lets have been given a new 'look' by
him. Almost seven years ago Van
Ingen took his first cautious steps
outside Holland's borders. Heineken
had good contacts with the authorities
in the former Soviet Union. It was
decided to strengthen those contacts
and to boost sales by fitting out bars in
the tourist hotels.
Over the years the responsibilities
and working area of Van Ingen have
expanded: the Far East, the Caribb
ean, Japan, Canary Islands, Spain and
Eastern Europe. From all corners of
the globe requests come in for advice
via the Heineken export managers.
Site visit
Telephone and fax are the means
of communication which provide Van
Ingen with the approximate details
about a project. After that he goes out
to visit the site. For three to four days
he looks around, visits other outlets,
THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN
