Van Wassenhove House

Juliaan Lampens 1972-74

Built for Albert Van Wassenhove

Sint-Martens-Lampen, Belgium

Visits and shorts stays arranged through Museum Dhondt-Dhaenen

Rik Vannevel of the museum shares about his experience of photographing the house and artistic activities that take place inside:

‘It’s actually difficult to photograph the house because it is already so iconic or filmic in a way that every frame you place the building in, it is already picture perfect. This is okay for general pictures to use on websites that have to give a good image of the architecture but you really have to spend some time there to really appreciate all the details and to unlock a different view on the building. It’s built and sculpted as this brutalist sculpture and people’s first reactions, without having been there, is that it’s cold and hard. But it is actually a warm, welcoming organic experience where the light and season, sounds are equally important factors. It’s a mental experience as well. We also organise an artists residency program at the house and for the artists it’s also a one of a kind residency. The radicality is not the architecture itself I think, but the way it really imposes this mental space of quietness and concentration. For artist’s it’s really double folded: Either they have to react against the space or they have to accept the space. It’s more than just a backdrop or decor’

Images and video ©Juliaan Lampens, House Van Wassenhove, 1970-74 Courtesy museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Deurle, Belgium Images Rik Vannevel