Built-in wooden units and sheer, full-height curtains soften the otherwise stark interior of this apartment located within a canalside regeneration project near Antwerp.

The apartment designed by interior architect Arjaan De Feyter is located within one of four new-build blocks called The Cubes, which were developed by Brussels-based architecture firm Bogdan & Van Broeck.
The Cubes form part of a conversion of a former brewery and malt house site beside the Albert Canal outside Antwerp, which has been transformed into a mixed-use development containing apartments, offices, artists studios, a museum and public squares.

De Feyter has his office in the Kanaal development, and it was following a visit to the office that his client, a local builder and blacksmith, discovered the project and decided to purchase one of the residential units. The apartment was an empty shell when it was bought, so the designer's task was to adapt the existing spaces to create a comfortable and cohesive interior environment that fulfils the owner's practical and aesthetic needs.

"The client wanted to work with honest and warm materials," De Feyter recalls. "He was looking for a contemporary design with an eye for craftsmanship, detail and finish."
"We try to reflect the personality of the customer in the project, and combine that with the context of the building and our own architectural style," the designer added.
"Here we wanted to create a very open and s...