On June 6, 2024, the 5th-year students of Architecture and Architecture & Interior from the Heilig Graf Institute in Turnhout visited the listed house of architect Jozef Schellekens from the 1930s. They did this under the guidance of their instructor Heleen Desmet. The tour was conducted by Rik Hendrickx, interior architect at Architects in Motion, and Jan Vanhout, curator of the Architectural Conservation Trust – ACT. Subsequently, they visited the house, studio and solar house of architects Carli Vanhout & Paul Schellekens from the 1960s.
Discover their inspiring comments and let yourself be carried away by their story.
The photography is from the students.
We may have won some souls.
The students said:
What stayed with me most were the solar house and the conservatory. I found it very special how nature came inside there. I enjoyed seeing the furnishing and architecture of that time in the houses.
I especially remember the beautiful lighting fixtures, such as in the hallway of the office. It motivates me to be even more involved in design.
I found the concrete ceiling with the remaining wood imprint very beautiful. In general, the raw construction that is carried through into the interior is truly unique.
You feel that the style of the two houses are in line with each other, but I was especially a fan of the second house. The entrance was particularly special.
The first building was unique due to its very diverse use of colour, the second building I also found very interesting because of how interior and exterior come together.
What I found most beautiful was the inner courtyard in the second house. This ensured that you still have an outdoor feeling even though you are standing inside. I would like to apply this in my own design someday.
I found the bold colour combinations in the building very interesting, because according to the explanation it was mainly black and white in the past. Although the colours are very striking, they somehow fit together. In the second house, the connection between interior and exterior and the concrete with wooden formwork stayed with me most.
I found the story behind the family very interesting. It is remarkable that such a large family lived in the first house, especially when you see the small bedrooms. The windows in the house gave a very beautiful effect and atmosphere inside.
What I found most fascinating is how bright colours were combined with natural colors. Like the stair railing finished in green, tiles that connect with the desk. It completed and accentuated the specific spaces. The paintings and drawings on the wall, the stacked books, the skeleton in the salon and other unique souvenirs make the whole very poetic.
Below are some atmospheric images:
