Specialized Concept Store Geraardsbergen, East Flanders cycle shop building, Belgian architecture photos

Specialized Concept Store in East Flanders

10 October 2025

Architects: CYCL architecture

Location: Geraardsbergen, Vlaanderen, East Flanders, Belgium

Photos by Dieter Van Caneghem

Specialized Concept Store, East Flanders, Belgium

The new interior for Specialized translates the essence of the brand: cutting-edge technology and world-class cycling performance combined with a distinctive design identity. Specialized bicycles – aerodynamic objects engineered to perfection and reduced to their purest form – became the main inspiration for the spatial design.

This guiding principle is carried into the interior through a minimalist approach to materials and detailing. The walls are clad with lightly reflective polycarbonate panels, creating a luminous and semi-transparent skin. Against this backdrop, a series of white steel frames are positioned, designed to hold and present the bicycles as objects of desire. The central space remains intentionally open, emphasizing clarity and focus. Visitors encounter the bicycles as sculptural presences that define the perimeter while leaving the core free of distraction.

In this open heart of the space, a single powerful gesture is introduced: a suspended, mirror-black ceiling shaped as a large ellipse. Its curved geometry contrasts with the rectangular volume, introducing a sense of movement and aerodynamic flow. The reflective surface amplifies the perception of space and height, adding depth and dynamism.

The result is a vision of futuristic minimalism – an interior that resonates with industrial precision while maintaining an elevated aesthetic quality. More than a showroom, it is a spatial manifesto that communicates Specialized’s relentless pursuit of innovation. The design translates the brand’s engineering excellence into a unique architectural experience where the bicycle is not only displayed, but celebrated as the true centerpiece.

How does the interior design of the Specialized concept store reflect a balance between functionality and high-end aesthetics?
The interior design of the Specialized concept store achieves its balance by directly translating the qualities of the brand’s bicycles into the spatial language. Just as the bikes are engineered with precision—combining aerodynamics, performance, and beauty—the interior is conceived as a minimal, industrial framework that is both practical and visually striking.

Functionality is expressed through clarity of layout: the walls, clad in reflective polycarbonate panels, serve as a lightweight backdrop. Steel frames integrated into this surface create efficient display systems, ensuring that each bicycle is easy to view and access while keeping the central space completely open and flexible. This open core maximizes usability for circulation, events, or reconfiguration, underscoring the functional dimension of the design.

At the same time, the store cultivates a high-end aesthetic through a few bold gestures. The mirror-black elliptical ceiling element introduces a sense of movement and dynamism, echoing the aerodynamic flow of the bicycles themselves. The restrained palette of industrial materials—steel, concrete, and polycarbonate—results in a futuristic minimalism that elevates the products without overwhelming them.

By merging streamlined material choices, spatial efficiency, and one iconic architectural gesture, the interior embodies the Specialized ethos: high-performance technology paired with refined design, where the bicycle remains the undisputed centerpiece.

In what ways does the store incorporate innovative technology into its design and customer experience?
Innovation within the Specialized concept store is not only present in the products, but also embedded in the spatial design and customer experience. From the outset, the entire interior was conceived with a single objective: to showcase the bicycle as a pure object. Every architectural decision—materials, layout, and detailing—was taken in function of this central focus.
A key part of this ambition lies in the careful research into lighting and display systems. The bicycles are illuminated with precision, allowing them to be perceived almost as sculptures, their aerodynamic form highlighted without distraction. The surrounding architecture is deliberately restrained so that the spotlight remains on the products.

In addition, the store integrates large LED screens and sound systems to extend the experience beyond the physical bicycle. These elements create an immersive environment, linking Specialized’s technological innovation in cycling with digital storytelling and atmosphere.

By combining advanced display techniques with cutting-edge media, the store positions itself as more than a showroom: it becomes a stage where innovation, technology, and design converge, always with the bicycle at the absolute center.