Merckx Holvoet Architects transforms former dockworkers’ café into a serene urban retreat
Located opposite the MAS Museum in Antwerp, Belgium, a former dockworkers’ café has been reborn as an urban dwelling. The project transforms a modest, historic building into a home where light, materiality, and proportion create a calm contrast to the energy of Antwerp’s city streets.
Though modest in scale, the building retains its steadfast character, a place where patina, proportion and the shifting play of light lend a sense of calm amid the city’s ceaseless rhythm
At street level, the kitchen opens to the neighbourhood through a large guillotine window. This simple, movable threshold invites daylight and movement in equal measure, creating a living space that feels intimate yet connected to the city. One storey above, the living room retreats from the bustle, offering composed and carefully framed vistas toward the Museum aan de Stroom, an international and pioneering museum focusing on the global connectedness between people and collections from different cultures and environments.
The interior design highlights texture, light and materials. Spaces that were once dark and enclosed now breathe again, thanks to precisely placed skylights.
The residence was designed by Merckx Holvoet Architects, a creative studio founded in 2018 by Marc Merckx and Sébastien Holvoet. Their work spans private homes, commercial interiors, and contemporary workspaces, but a recognizable design approach threads through every project: spaces that balance proportion, material and light while maintaining functional clarity. Every interior is carefully curated, with bespoke furniture and selected objects to support the architectural vision.
The studio’s style moves effortlessly between warm minimalism and refined simplicity, designing sublime projects that are understated and inviting. Attention to detail is key, often realized through collaborations with skilled artisans in Belgium and Europe, translating traditional craftsmanship into contemporary design elements.
Photography by Senne Van der Ven
