The 2025 Visit from Holy Sepulchre

June 25, 2025

This year we were once again delighted to welcome the 5th year Architecture & Interior students from the Holy Sepulchre Institute in Turnhout. Under the guidance of their teachers Liesbet Paulussen, Daan Buys and Justine Piedfort, they paid an inspiring visit to the residence of Jozef Schellekens and the studio residence of Carli Vanhout.

It brings us great pleasure each time to welcome young designers-to-be and immerse them in the story and atmosphere of these two architectural gems.

We were delighted to receive some wonderful quotes from the students afterwards:

  • The Residence of Archtiect Jozef Schellekens
    • I was amazed by the exceptional colour choices in this residence.
    • In the workspace, at the drawing table, it must be wonderfully peaceful to work with this view and this light.
    • In this residence we could see drawings and sketches by the architect. These were beautifully executed! The guide told us about the lives of the first inhabitants and how they used this residence, which was interesting – we gained insight into daily life from the past.
    • I found this building impressive. The many details and the exceptional colours stay with me.
    • I found the spaciousness of the entrance hall very beautiful. The seating arrangement that accommodates the level difference is also skillfully integrated.

  • The House and Studio of Carli Vanhout
    • The inner courtyard of this residence was surprising. I also found the sunken seating area very cosy.
    • I found it a wonderful experience to be allowed to look inside this residence. The way the interior walls transition into exterior walls is remarkable and creates a strong indoor-outdoor relationship.
    • Both the patio and the fireplace were the eye-catchers of this residence for me.
    • The brutalist building radiates tranquility. The row of plants that continues from outside to inside is absolutely beautiful!
    • I cycle past this building almost every day and I have always found it to have remarkable architecture. I am very happy that I was also able to see the interior and that I now know more about the architect’s vision.
    • I find the concrete that was poured in rough wooden formwork beautiful – it is rough and warm at the same time.
    • Thank you for allowing us to visit with our ‘Interior & Architecture’ students from Holy Sepulchre. We knew that a former student from our programme had recently worked here and took the opportunity to retrieve his models from the bulletin board in our classroom and present them. The eternal cycle of learning, gaining experience and passing on experience became very visible to us and our students.