Architect Charles Deaton said “If people do not have angles then we should not live in boxes.” Moving away from the four wall dimensions, Arjaan de Feyter has combined the ancient circular shape with age-old materials to convert four heritage Belgian silos. Propped on the banks of an Antwerp canal, the owners can enjoy a take on refined living with a rounded twist.
DESIGN Arjaan de Feyter | PHOTOGRAPHY Piet Albert Goethals

Entertaining the inherent appeal of curves, the silo apartment is dictated by circular forms. For “visual pause”, two straight walls divide each of the four silos into monochromatic seperate and shared spaces. Amid the fun of stepping outside the box, working with rounded spaces posed a challenge for what would come to reside in them. Clever interventions to the spatial limitations abound, summed up in two words: custom made. A custom made sofa moulds from the wall to sculpt the living space, just ready for you to recline with a curvaceous custom made rug underfoot. To gently segment the space, linen curtains create privacy and a theatrical element under architectural ceiling lights. Nearby, a custom made dining setting enjoys the close comfort of canal views.

Interior architect Arjaan de Feyter took pleasure in stripping the unconventional space back to its industrial roots; exposing the concrete floors, concrete plaster walls and brick structure. This set a precedence for raw integrity and the decision to focus on the tactility of each material. All of the concrete walls are treated in a neutral mineral paint while hand-pigmented dark silver makes a sensuous appearance as bespoke kitchen cabinetry and bedroom wardrobes. Crowning the open-plan kitchen, the titanium kitchen bench top retains all of the intricate details it first formed with, fusing seamlessly with the brass fittings.
Stepping into Arjaan de Feyter’s silo conversion is a leap into a muted, sculptural paradise. This home proves it’s no longer hip to be square, but far more edgy to take the rounded path.
This piece originally appeared in est magazine issue 29. Read the entire magazine online here.











