On June 6, 2024, the 5th-year Architecture and Architecture & Interior students from the Heilig Graf Institute in Turnhout visited the landmark house of architect, Jozef Schellekens, from the 1930s. They did this under the guidance of their teacher, Heleen Desmet. The tour was conducted by Rik Hendrickx, interior architect of Architects in Motion, and Jan Vanhout, curator of the Architectural Conservation Trust – ACT. Afterwards, 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 provided by the students.
We may have won some souls.
The students speak:
What stuck with me the most are the solar house and the conservatory. I found it very special how nature came inside there. I enjoyed seeing the interior design and architecture of that time in the houses.
I mainly remember the beautiful lighting fixtures, like in the hallway of the office. It triggers me to be even more involved with designing.
I found the concrete ceiling with the remaining wood imprint very beautiful. In general, the raw construction that is continued in the interior is truly unique.
You can feel that the style of the two houses is in line with each other, but I was especially a fan of the second house. The entrance, in particular, was special.
The first building was unique due to its very diverse use of color, I also found the second building very interesting because of how interior and exterior come together.
What I found most beautiful was the inner garden in the second house. This ensured that you still have an outdoor feeling even though you’re standing inside. I would like to apply this in my own design someday.
I found the daring color combinations in the building very interesting, because according to the explanation, it used to be mainly black and white. Although the colors are very striking, they still somehow fit together. In the second house, I was most impressed by the connection between interior and exterior and the concrete with wood formwork.
I found the story behind the family very interesting. It’s remarkable to see that they lived with such large families in the first house, especially when you see the small bedrooms. The windows in the house created a very beautiful effect and atmosphere inside.
What I found most fascinating is how bright colors were combined with natural colors. Like the stair railing finished in green, tiles that match the desk. It completed and accentuated the specific spaces. The paintings and drawings on the wall, the stacked books, the skeleton in the living room, and other unique souvenirs make the whole very poetic.
Below are some atmospheric images:
