This typical Antwerp, early 20th century, house in a row lies in one of the older parts of the city.It houses a dwelling and the offices for a renowned distributor of prestigious Italian design furniture.

The site on which the house is located has a width of only 4 meters and is 18 meters deep. While the main building on the street side was preserved, the typical small extensions in the back had to make way for one bigger extension covering the three floors. The old renovated stairs that are located at the back of the main structure serves as a hinge point between the old and the new part of the house. The small spaces next to the stairs are used as service zones for each floor.

Thanks to this new internal organisation, the narrow house gets a spatial feel not only in the width but also in the depth. The void and the window with double height are just some of the architectural qualities of the extension. By opening the window completely, the interior space and the terrace become one.

The main tone of the interior is pale and grey for the outside. The ground floor is all white and a shaft in the back of the office provides natural light. The living areas on the floors above the office have a softer tone. The main colour for furniture and art stays white, but it is combined with the warm expression of the bleached wooden floors and staircase as well as the teak wood used in the bathroom.

The combination of the white tones with a clear architectural vocabulary transforms this modest house into a contemporary city dwelling with grandeur and allure.

Photography:
Alberto Piovano