Vincent Van Duysen transforms cloister into zen hotspot

The world-renowned architect and furniture designer Vincent Van Duysen completed his first hotel project in 2019 with this 19th-century cloister transformation.

Hotel August, located in Antwerp, has become the new hotspot for the region thanks to the exquisite interiors, dining, and hospitality.

The convent is part of a more extensive redevelopment of the area centered around an old military hospital that was left abandoned for the past 20 years. The nuns used to care for the wounded soldiers, and as such, the cloisters are part of this complex.

Van Duysen approached the project with the utmost respect to the neoclassical building, which lets you sense the austere and minimal lifestyle of the original occupants of the complex. Only the entrance and chapel, which houses the bar, are designed slightly more elaborate. The winter garden houses the highly-rated restaurant, which features a minimal glass roof in black aluminum. This new addition merely adds light and lets the original architectural elements shine in their full glory.

In perfect harmony with the building is the furniture, which is almost all custom design by Vincent Van Duysen and manufactured by Molteni&C. Flos lighting complements the custom furnishings in an ultra-elegant fashion. Find more interior design inspiration on talkcarpet.com/blog