Light-filled entrance zone connects former café and new barn into a striking residential ensemble. VIVA was responsible for the interior design and provided aesthetic and architectural consultancy, with particular attention to the rear facade and the transitional zone between the main volumes.
Full textThis project transforms a former shop-café and an adjacent barn into a contemporary living environment. A new intermediate volume brings the two architectural entities together into one spatial narrative.
Each part retains its own character: the old café remains recognisable through its brick façade and has been repurposed as a dwelling. The new barn, clad in vertical slats of untreated timber, serves as a dark, intimate space for relaxation. In between sits an entrance hall bathed in daylight: a linking space with a direct view of the garden and side access to both the bright living area and the more subdued barn.
The central theme revolves around contrasts: light versus dark, rough versus refined, past versus present. Inside, the home is bright and tactile, with white walls, pale timber floors and colourful accents such as the soft pink kitchen, pink bathroom tiles and vivid red joinery with matching curtains. The bespoke dining table, crafted from the old plane trees of Antwerp’s majestic avenues called ‘The Leien’, adds a poetic layer.
The new connecting volume acts as a bridge between two worlds. With the same red window profiles as the main house, yet contrasting terracotta floor tiles, it forms a striking transitional zone between home and barn.
In the barn, the atmosphere shifts entirely: dark finishes, deep hues and tactile materials create a place for calm and reflection. Materials were chosen for their texture and ability to age—stained timber, hand-applied plaster, old wooden beams and a lively, dark terrazzo floor.
The result is a surprising ensemble in which contrasting atmospheres flow seamlessly into one another: a careful balance of colour, material and the play of light and shadow.
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