They were the parents of the Van de Velde sisters, descendants of the lingerie family, who once bought a warehouse on the Kleindokkaai. “Our parents always had a nose for good investments,” says Barbara. The docks are the textbook example of sexy urban renewal in Ghent: between the blue harbor cranes, a completely new part of the city has emerged where today people live, work and eat delicious sandwiches. A bicycle and pedestrian bridge by Parisian Dietmar Feichtinger Architects connects the neighborhood with the center, and it is teeming with architectural projects, such as the Melopee primary school by Xaveer De Geyter Architects or the De Faar residential tower by Stéphane Beel.
The advantage of such a shared pool house is that you do not have to clean up your home when guests arrive. You close your front door and walk upstairs.
From their apartment, Barbara and Karel have a beautiful view of the water and the surrounding post-industrial neighborhood. The rounded shapes of the exterior are also visible inside, in undulating walls and S-shaped sofas. Mallet-Stevens’ influence is evident in the floating geometric staircase, reminiscent of the stairs in the iconic Parisian apartment he designed for Art Deco artist Tamara de Lempicka.
Collecting craze
From their apartment, Barbara Van de Velde and Karel De Baets have a beautiful view of the water and the surrounding post-industrial neighborhood. The round shapes of the exterior are also visible inside, in undulating walls and S-shaped sofas.©Yves Drieghe
How do you design a home when your sister-in-law and brother-in-law are the clients? You’d think that would cause family hassle. “But it was a wonderful collaboration,” says Jeremy.
“I wanted a homely feeling in the apartment, and it was important to give our things a thoughtful place,” says Barbara, HR manager in the food industry. The Van de Velde-De Baets family says they are struggling with collecting mania. “We have trouble throwing things away,” Barbara explains. “We don’t just collect expensive items; For example, I collect porcelain dogs,” says Barbara. Karel has different tastes and buys photography from Candida Höfer, Gucci-upholstered chairs or art from his cousin Benjamin Van Oost, the graphic artist behind Studio Bambam. He also raises insects and collects hundreds of varieties of tea. In the living room there is a memorabilia cabinet with colored bell jars, white porcelain dogs – they must have a basket, otherwise they do not fit into the collection – and stuffed butterflies.
The master bedroom is decorated with pink herons on Gucci wallpaper. A pink hue also returns in the bathroom. ©Yves Drieghe
Those dogs are wonderfully artistically integrated. The bell jars were painted by Karel, who was involved in the entire design process. “Karel was a co-creator for this apartment,” says Jeremy. For example, the cupboards in the hallway to the children’s room are bright pink, inspired by a work of art by Studio Bambam. The master bedroom is decorated with pink herons on Gucci wallpaper and the children’s bathroom has a green-pink mosaic of tiles, inspired by figures from the computer game Minecraft. ‘This is my favorite way of working: as a sparring partner for your customer. I am not the architect who says: ‘this is how it should be’, but rather a producer who gets to work with ideas. And Karel has brilliant creativity.’
American diner
The influence of Mallet-Stevens is reflected in the floating geometric staircase. ©Yves Drieghe
The family makes music together – Karel plays drums, their daughter plays piano, and they often sing together. In the living room, a round dining table fits into the wall, very American diner style. The sofa with velvet cushions was custom made by Atelier Ternier from Ghent.
A red carpet awaits on the top floor: the elevator and the stair floor are also colored red. The runner leads to the roof pool, pool house and a terrace with majestic views. “We are real family people, and our Sunday dinners are a tradition,” says Barbara. ‘We now sometimes spare our mother by organizing them here. The advantage of such a shared space is that you do not have to clean up your home when guests arrive. You close your front door and walk upstairs. Handy for people with a lot of stuff.’
02. Lien Van de Velde | Break up the space
The showstopper in the apartment of Lien Van de Velde and Jeremy Godenir is the monumental white spiral staircase that folds through the open space like a work of art.©Yves Drieghe
When you enter the apartment of Jeremy Godenir and Lien Van de Velde, you are first greeted by Raket, the labrador puppy who comes towards you enthusiastically like a rocket and steals the heart of every dog lover. Then you will notice the meter-high windows, which offer a wonderful view of the water, the old docks and even the towers of Ghent. But the real showstopper is the monumental white spiral staircase that folds through the open space like a work of art.
‘Cyriel Cloet plastered the stairs and turned it into a masterpiece. He is the son of sculptor Mark Cloet,” says Jeremy. The stairs break up the space, as do the other details, such as the staggered ceilings and the half-tiled bathroom door. This apartment is a play on volumetric compositions with staggered rooms and floating floors. This construction is also reminiscent of a Tetris that puts itself together.
The lives of our families are intertwined because of the way we live.
Lien Van de Velde
‘During a visit to the United States, I was inspired by the iconic ‘Fallingwater’ complex by Frank Lloyd Wright, the architect who puzzles so beautifully with compression and decompression in a home. I flew back home inspired,” says the Ghent architect. Jeremy’s design for this apartment reflects a similar layered approach to space. ‘Large open spaces, with high ceilings and windows give a great feeling of freedom. But without security they can feel impersonal and you lose your way.’
Jeremy Godenir worked for six years on the design of this building – the apartments where he and his in-laws live, plus on the ground floor his architectural firm MOEA architectural design studio and Karel De Baets’ sandwich shop.
To knock or not to knock?
“I didn’t want the apartment to feel cool. Color on the walls was essential,’ says Lien Van de Velde, who was still studying painting and shared the class with artist Matthieu Ronsse.©Yves Drieghe
The two families each live in their own apartment and share the roof terrace with swimming pool. “It felt completely natural for my sister and me to live together in one building,” says Jeremy’s partner Lien Van de Velde. ‘We hardly thought about it. The brothers-in-law, on the other hand, needed a little more time to think about it. They are both only children and grew up in the city, perhaps they are more used to being on their own?’
When Lien is home alone, the door is open. If the brothers-in-law are also home, the doors are closed and they knock. “Everyone experiences his or her need for privacy differently,” she says. ‘Yet the lives of our families are intertwined because of the way we live. For example, if someone needs a babysitter, the other family can quickly help.’
Heat was at the top of Lien’s wish list for the home. ‘I wanted the apartment to feel not cool, but safe. Color on the walls was essential,’ says Lien, who was still studying painting and shared the class with artist Matthieu Ronsse. Her own work hangs in the apartment, while today she is innovation manager at lingerie manufacturer Van de Velde. “Sterile rooms are not for me,” she says. ‘After we moved from a beautiful townhouse in the city to this apartment, I wanted to approach the ‘room feeling’.’
Layer of Le Corbusier
The elevator and stairs lead to the roof swimming pool, pool house and a terrace with majestic views of the towers of Ghent.©Yves Drieghe
Jeremy chose the colors inspired by Le Corbusier’s historic palettes to maintain the modernist look. Think of shades with poetic names such as ‘ombre naturelle’ or ‘bleu outremer’. Even Jung’s Vola taps and switches were given a Le Corbusier layer. ‘There are not that many brands on the market that are allowed to use the famous colours.’
Even the kitchen floor fits in with Le Corbusier’s color range. “I gave a pink switch to Wim De Smet from Atelier WDS, who incorporated the color into cocciopesto,” Jeremy explains. Atelier WDS from Nazareth is a master in finishes with loam, lime, tadelakt, stone or clay. ‘Cocciopesto is an Italian technique in which crushed stones are incorporated into floors, often considered the precursor of terrazzo, but with a more natural appearance. Wim also experiments with sanded asphalt, in which he incorporates specks of white marble. That floor is in our living room and borders the rosy cocciopesto.’
A nod to the concrete plant
Both the exterior and interior nod to the old concrete plant just further on the docks. “I love the round solidity on which the light falls so beautifully,” says Jeremy. In addition to the interwar modernism of Mallet-Stevens, he also adds a contemporary twist to his work. ‘Making something completely retro is not my intention.’ For example, the bedroom has a parquet floor by John Pawson, a subtle tribute to the British architect.
Jeremy Godenir founded his own firm, MOEA architectural design studio, in 2013. One of his remarkable designs is a corner building on the Ghent Bird Market, which houses the clothing store Cos. Before he founded his own office, he worked at Sum Architecten and started his career with artist Jan De Cock. A special piece of furniture from that period, which he designed himself, now has a place in his apartment as a display cabinet. The furniture has also been ingeniously put together: it consists of modular colored blocks that slide into each other.
“There are many memories in the cupboard,” says Lien. ‘Things from the past or collected items. She points to her collection of ‘Mecki and Micki’ hedgehogs, the cute dolls with spiky heads. Jeremy smiles: ‘Although I am not immediately a fan, I do think it is important that there is space to display Lien’s collection.’
Or how life and space come together. This apartment is not only an architectural statement, but also a home. The mix of old sources of inspiration and new elements, and the way in which the spaces talk to each other, reflects their vision on living. Architecture as a living puzzle, a place where angles and details tell stories. A house that not only breaks up the space, but also connects it.
A Peak into a Post-Industrial Paradise
Ah, Ghent! The city where the old world charm of docks meets the new age of urban chic. Who would have thought that a bunch of blue harbor cranes could morph into a playground of architectural wonders? Amongst this charm, we have the illustrious Van de Velde family, descendants of the “lingerie family” – and before you jump to conclusions, no, they’re not running a burlesque workshop. Their childhood warehouse purchase on the Kleindokkaai has turned into a cornucopia of investment success!
Now, before you get too comfortable picturing a postcard-perfect scene, let’s talk about the ‘sexy’ urban renewal taking place, shall we? Barbara, one of the sisters, cheekily reveals, “Our parents always had a nose for good investments.” Apparently, that nose has been smelling something good! The local landscape now features buzzing eateries, including what we assume is a few sandwich shops, tailored for hard-working folk who know the importance of lunch.
The advantage of such a shared pool house is that you do not have to clean up your home when guests arrive. You close your front door and walk upstairs.
Yes, nothing says ‘I’m fancy’ quite like a shared pool house, right? Who needs to clean the house before the guests arrive when you can simply direct them upstairs? True bourgeois genius! Comfortably nestled in their aesthetic dreamscape, Barbara and Karel get to enjoy beautiful views of post-industrial splendor while surrounded by undulating walls and S-shaped sofas. And let me tell you something about the staircase — it could just about give you a concussion, but isn’t it just divine when it floats like a celebrity at a music festival?
The Collecting Craze
Now, let’s delve into what truly makes the Van de Velde-De Baets household tick: a collecting mania! They’re not just collecting fine art; oh no, that would be too… refined. Barbara’s inexplicable obsession with porcelain dogs makes you wonder if the family has more fluff than substance. And Karel? He’s found beauty in Gucci-upholstered chairs and critically acclaimed photos, meanwhile feeding a collection of insects and a dizzying array of teas into the mix. It’s like the “Antiques Roadshow” crashed into a modern-day flea market!
It gets even better—Karel’s self-painted bell jars are a sight to behold, showcasing his artistic prowess. One can only imagine what kind of family dinners they must have, each one a ‘show and tell’, with porcelain pooches judging the quality of the fried chicken!
The Allure of an American Diner
As we slip into their living room adorned with a round dining table constructed with the unmistakable flair of American diner vibes, we realize that home-cooked meals around this round throne must be the norm; perhaps they even have a jukebox! Customized sofas, red carpets, and a roof pool overlooking Ghent? Well, if their guests weren’t impressed by the porcelain dog collection, they surely will be after taking a dip while singing their favorite tunes!
Every Stair Tells a Story
As we leap across the rooms and into the hair-raising white spiral staircase crafted by the delightful Cyriel Cloet, we find ourselves wondering if we’ve stumbled into an architectural avant-garde festival or simply a well-decorated family home. It’s a play on volumetric compositions, and everyone’s invited for Tetris-like fun! But don’t let that fool you—though the place may look like the offspring of Frank Lloyd Wright and a five-horsepower blender, there’s enough warmth imbued in its design to make even the most sterile dwelling weep with envy.
The lives of our families are intertwined because of the way we live.
In the magic of coexistence, we have Jeremy and Lien—two architectural souls breathing life into their apartments while maintaining a delicate familial balance. Their spaces echo with laughter, love, and occasional bickering over shared laundry days. Imagine bustling around, playing the ‘knock-knock, who’s there’ game when the other family is home—because what says ‘family bonding’ more than logistical navigations of pizza deliveries and babysitting trades?
A Nod to Post-Industrial Glory
And what about the nods to the old concrete plant nearby? Who wouldn’t enjoy a bit of nostalgia woven into their modern retreat? Jeremy Godenir’s design parameters wrap themselves around history, whispers of modernism colliding into avant-garde creativity. Think of Cocciopesto floors harmonizing with Le Corbusier’s color palettes while bedecked with quirky doll collections. It’s the architectural equivalent of a gourmet meal made from leftovers—a chance for everything old, new, and gloriously quirky to coalesce into one enticing tale!
When life and space come together so harmoniously, how can it not tell a story? This apartment isn’t just a structure; it’s a living, breathing organism bursting with character (and yes, some well-placed porcelain dogs!). So, here’s looking at the Van de Velde sisters, Karel, their bizarre collection of stuffed creatures, and Jeremy—all master architects of aesthetic chaos and family warmth. It’s not just urban renewal; it’s a joyous ride where every corner hides a laugh and every stair has a story. Take notes, folks—this is how one does life!
— A Cheeky Observer of Beautiful Oddities
The Van de Velde sisters, who hail from a renowned lingerie dynasty, are the proud descendants of parents who made astute investments, such as acquiring a warehouse on Ghent’s scenic Kleindokkaai. “Our parents always had a knack for spotting promising investment opportunities,” reflects Barbara. The docks serve as a prime illustration of enticing urban renewal in Ghent, showcasing a vibrant new neighborhood blossoming amidst the skyline dotted with blue harbor cranes. This area has transformed into a bustling hub where people not only reside but also work and savor gourmet sandwiches. An elegantly designed bicycle and pedestrian bridge, crafted by the Parisian firm Dietmar Feichtinger Architects, seamlessly connects this lively district to the city center. Architectural marvels are abundant, including the Melopee primary school by Xaveer De Geyter Architects and the striking De Faar residential tower envisioned by Stéphane Beel.
The advantage of such a shared pool house is that you do not have to clean up your home when guests arrive. You close your front door and walk upstairs.
From their modern apartment, Barbara and Karel enjoy an impressive view that stretches over the shimmering water and the distinctive post-industrial landscape surrounding them. The design’s rounded exterior shapes are echoed indoors, manifested through flowing walls and S-shaped sofas that provide a cozy ambiance. The influence of iconic architect Mallet-Stevens is palpable in the stylish floating geometric staircase, reminiscent of the famed staircase in the Parisian apartment designed for Art Deco artist Tamara de Lempicka.
Collecting craze
The Van de Velde-De Baets family grapples with a charming yet overwhelming collecting obsession. “We often struggle with the act of letting go,” shares Barbara, who is the HR manager in the food industry. “My collection leans towards playful, lesser-known treasures, such as porcelain dogs,” she adds. Karel showcases his eclectic taste through exquisite photography from Candida Höfer, Gucci-upholstered chairs, and original art created by his cousin, Benjamin Van Oost, the mastermind behind Studio Bambam. His interest extends to raising rare insects and amassing an impressive range of hundreds of tea varieties. The living room features an eye-catching memorabilia cabinet filled with colorful bell jars, white porcelain dogs—this collection necessitates a dedicated basket for organization—and captivating stuffed butterflies.
The master bedroom is adorned with delightful pink herons on the lavish Gucci wallpaper, creating a lively contrast that resonates throughout the space. The children’s bathroom showcases a whimsical mosaic of green and pink tiles inspired by characters from the beloved video game Minecraft, reflecting a child’s imaginative spirit. “This is my favorite way of working: as a sparring partner for your customer. I am not the architect who insists, ‘this is how it should be,’ but rather a collaborator who brings ideas to life,” explains Jeremy, emphasizing Karel’s brilliant creativity that permeated the entire design process.
American diner
The family shares passionate musical moments together; Karel skillfully plays the drums, while their daughter takes to the piano, often leading to spontaneous family sing-alongs. The living room features a cleverly designed round dining table that seamlessly integrates into the wall, capturing the essence of an American diner aesthetic. A custom-made sofa, complete with luxurious velvet cushions, was crafted by Ghent’s Atelier Ternier.
On the top floor, a vibrant red carpet greets guests, coloring both the elevator and stairways. This colorful runner leads to the exquisite roof pool where a stylish pool house and a spacious terrace offer breathtaking views of the surrounding cityscape. “We’re truly a family-oriented group, and Sunday dinners have become a cherished tradition,” Barbara shares. “We’ve even started hosting these gatherings here, allowing us to spare our mother the burden. The beauty of such a shared space lies in the effortless clean-up; one simply closes their front door and walks upstairs, which is incredibly convenient for those of us with a penchant for collecting.”
02. Lien Van de Velde | Break up the space
As one enters the stunning apartment of Lien Van de Velde and Jeremy Godenir, they are immediately welcomed by Raket, their exuberant labrador puppy, who exudes boundless enthusiasm and captures the hearts of everyone. The apartment features expansive meter-high windows that provide a panoramic view of the water, historic docks, and the majestic towers of Ghent. Yet, the crowning jewel of this living space is the monumental white spiral staircase, which winds through the open area like an artwork in motion.
“Cyriel Cloet was the genius behind the plastered staircase, turning it into a true masterpiece. He is the son of the sculptor Mark Cloet,” explains Jeremy. The staircase not only enhances the aesthetics but also skillfully disrupts the space, paralleling other distinctive features such as staggered ceilings and creatively designed bathroom doors. The apartment showcases a playful engagement with volumetric compositions, where staggered rooms and floating floor designs invite exploration—it’s like a three-dimensional Tetris at play.
Jeremy draws inspiration from a trip to the United States, reflecting on the architectural brilliance of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic ‘Fallingwater’, a masterpiece renowned for its interplay of space and light. His design concept for the apartment echoes similar layered approaches to living environments. “The large open spaces, paired with lofty ceilings and substantial windows, convey freedom, but without warmth, they risk feeling impersonal,” Jeremy elaborates. He dedicated six pivotal years to the design of this unique building, which comprises not only their apartment but also accommodations for his in-laws and the ground-level architectural studio of his firm, MOEA, as well as Karel De Baets’ sandwich shop.
To knock or not to knock?
Each family enjoys their own private apartment while jointly sharing access to the exquisite roof terrace and swimming pool. “It felt entirely natural for my sister and me to reside within the same building,” Lien remarks. “The brothers-in-law required a bit more contemplation, perhaps due to their upbringing as only children in the city, making communal living a new experience for them.” When Lien finds herself home alone, the door remains wide open; however, when the brothers-in-law are also present, the doors are closed, and there’s a polite knock for entry. “Everyone has different feelings about privacy,” she observes. “Nonetheless, our family’s lives are intricately woven together due to the lifestyle we have chosen. For instance, if a babysitter is needed, we can (and often do) lend each other a helping hand.”
Warmth was a priority on Lien’s wish list for their shared home. “I wanted the apartment to radiate comfort, not a cold atmosphere. The colors on the walls played a crucial role in achieving that,” explains Lien, who pursued painting studies alongside artist Matthieu Ronsse. Her artwork adorns the walls, while she currently serves as the innovation manager for the lingerie manufacturer Van de Velde. “Sterile environments are simply not my style,” she asserts. “After transitioning from a beautiful townhouse to this apartment, I sought to capture that intimate ‘room feeling.’”
Layer of Le Corbusier
To maintain a sleek modernist aesthetic, Jeremy carefully selected a color palette inspired by Le Corbusier’s historic ranges, choosing shades with evocative names such as ‘ombre naturelle’ and ‘bleu outremer.’ Even the taps and switches, crafted by Jung, were thoughtfully designed to follow Le Corbusier’s vision, as only a select number of brands are authorized to produce these renowned colors.
The kitchen floor continues this thematic color scheme inspired by Le Corbusier. “I worked closely with Wim De Smet from Atelier WDS, who incorporated a pink hue into the cocciopesto flooring,” Jeremy explains. Atelier WDS, based in Nazareth, is celebrated for its expertise in finishing techniques using natural materials such as loam, lime, and clay. Cocciopesto, an Italian finishing technique, merges crushed stones into flooring, often likened to terrazzo yet with a more organic aesthetic. Wim also explores the use of sanded asphalt that integrates specks of white marble, and this type of flooring is featured prominently in both their living room and the adjoining rosy cocciopesto areas.
A nod to the concrete plant
The design of both the exterior and interior spaces pays homage to the nearby defunct concrete plant, creating a beautiful dialogue with both history and modernity. “I am captivated by the round solidity that interacts with light,” Jeremy states. While he draws inspiration from interwar modernism, particularly that of Mallet-Stevens, his approach embraces an updated perspective. “Creating something entirely retro was never my goal,” he notes. For instance, the bedroom showcases a sophisticated parquet floor by celebrated British architect John Pawson, reflecting a subtle nod to his impactful work.
In 2013, Jeremy Godenir established his own architectural firm, MOEA, and he has garnered acclaim for his innovative designs, including a striking corner building in the heart of the Ghent Bird Market that houses a trendy clothing store, Cos. Prior to founding his studio, Jeremy gained valuable experience working with Sum Architecten and began his architectural journey with artist Jan De Cock. A unique piece of furniture he designed during that period now serves as a display cabinet in their apartment. This inventive furnishing is composed of modular colored blocks that beautifully slide into one another.
“Our display cabinet holds countless memories,” Lien shares. “It features not only nostalgic pieces from the past but also cherished collectibles.” She proudly highlights her collection of ‘Mecki and Micki’ hedgehogs—whimsical dolls with quirky spiky heads. Jeremy adds with a chuckle, “I may not be the biggest fan of them, but I wholeheartedly recognize the importance of providing a space that showcases Lien’s unique collection.”
This apartment exemplifies how life and space interact harmoniously. It stands as an architectural statement infused with personality, where a harmonious blend of historical inspirations and contemporary elements reflect their vision of living. This design represents architecture as a living puzzle, a space where angles and intricate details weave narratives, creating a home that not only redefines spatial boundaries but also fosters connection.
Perspective that seeks to bridge the past and the present. The curved forms and flowing lines throughout the apartment reflect this philosophy, creating a cohesive blend of softness and strength.
Jeremy’s commitment to craftsmanship is evident in every detail, from the bespoke furniture to the thoughtful layout that encourages connection among family members while providing spaces for solitude. Each area is designed to be functional yet inviting, embodying the idea of home as a sanctuary. The connection to the outdoors is accentuated through the expansive windows that not only frame picturesque views of Ghent’s historical waterfront but also flood the living spaces with natural light.
The communal areas, such as the roof terrace and swimming pool, serve as a nexus for family gatherings, further enhancing the bond between the families living within the building. It’s a space where shared memories are created amidst breathtaking views, blending the vibrancy of urban life with the tranquility of a retreat.
Ultimately, the apartments of Barbara, Karel, Lien, and Jeremy stand as a testament to modern living that honors family ties, artistic expression, and architectural innovation. The meticulous design choices reflect their personalities and passions, transforming the notion of urban dwelling into an inspiring canvas of life, creativity, and community.
