Renovation of a Row House in Antwerp by Bovenbouw.

Bovenbouw Architectuur has injected an infectious sense of fun into the 19th-century shell of a Row House in Antwerp, Belgium. Spaces become defined by an intersection of material, texture and colour. An industrial steel truss sits alongside the original detailed stairwell and a sleek, ultra-modern black kitchen. The project unfolds as a pastiche of different voices that manage to co-exist harmoniously together, achieving a sense of balance that is completely irresistible!

The 4-storey townhouse alteration & addition has undergone a transformation that propels it firmly into the contemporary era. Interiors that once would have been largely informed by the figurative detail of 19th-century chimneys are now awakened with new exposed construction elements. A steel truss dipped in sulphur yellow sits suspended beneath curved timber ceiling. A blue eye-beam pierces directly through a wall before meeting the ceiling. These additions bring an industrial tone to the project, grounding the soft, polite qualities emulated by existing 19th-century elements.

The cream-painted timber stairwell stands as one of the few remaining original pieces, its detailed curving handrail sitting in contrast to the minimalist renovation. Ornamentation is replaced with material nuance and spatial complexity – a moment perfectly captured in the bathroom that unfolds around a curving pink-tiled wall. One single partition organises pockets of privacy within an expansive, free-flowing space, creating a special fresh moment within a room that is too often overlooked!

Removing the wall that once supported the stairs brings sunlight deep into the home, resulting in welcoming, light-filled interiors. The kitchen has been relocated from the rear of the house to the centre and is made visible from the hallway through internal glazing. Greater transparency opens up the lower floor – spaces now flow into one other, bringing a contemporary, open plan feel to the family home.

Bovenbouw Architectuur has brought playfulness to a 19th-century townhouse, proving that colour and experimental form definitely have a place in minimalist design. The family home isn’t so stripped back that it becomes removed from day-to-day life, feeling more than a museum rather than a home. Instead, simple moments are celebrated and joy is welcomed into the everyday lives of those living within.

Related: Renovation of 3 Eclectic Buildings in Antwerp, Belgium by Bovenbouw.

[Images courtesy of Bovenbouw. Photography by Filip Dujardin.]