ECHO makes listening the organising idea of a room that changes throughout the day. Opened in September 2026 on the ground floor of Rotterdam’s Groot Handelsgebouw, the venue brings together creative director Jeff Hoogendijk, DJ and producer Khalil Ryahi, and architect Paul Cournet. Cournet’s studio CLOUD designed the interior.

The existing concrete provides a robust background for a set of precise additions. Shipping-crate furniture gives the bar a temporary, adaptable character, while gradient mirrors by Sabine Marcelis introduce shifting colour and reflections.

Records and sound equipment occupy the same architectural system. Modular shelving by Tylko holds vinyl alongside speakers developed with Form Follows Frequency; two larger speaker towers frame the bar. Equipment becomes part of the room’s composition rather than an afterthought.

The layout supports coffee during the day, drinks at night, and a programme of listening sessions, exhibitions and dinners. Its flexibility comes from the relationship between movable furniture, shelving and an open central area.

The project was featured by Dezeen on 30 October 2026. Images are sourced from the ECHO gallery reproduced by FreeYork; that gallery does not identify an individual photographer.