London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Design Project: A double height loft in Antwerp with suspended mezzanine

Design Project: A double height loft in Antwerp with suspended mezzanine

This Antwerp loft has double-height ceilings, exposed brick walls and industrial details, but the coolest part is the floating mezzanine bedroom box suspended from the ceiling...
THE PROPERTY


The owner of this large loft in Antwerp immediately fell in love with its double-height lofty proportions, exposed brick walls and industrial details, all giving it a decidedly 'New York' feel.However, when her partner and his three boys moved in, they needed to re-think the whole space as it wasn't big enough to accommodate everyone. The owner, Francine De Caluwé, brought on architecture studio Mr Frank who created a suspended 'box' at mezzanine height, housing two additional bedrooms that hang down from the ceiling. It wasn't exactly the most obvious solution; they had brainstormed and come up with several other solutions including a mobile box on wheels and extending the duplex with an extra platform, but this plan was the winning idea, and offered the best visual aesthetic. It was a multi-functional idea that could work long-term too, as the bedrooms can be used for other purposes in future after all their children move out.

LIVING AREA


The building dates back to 1850, when it was a chapel. Since then the building has been used as a shop for ship and maritime materials, as the harbour is only a few kilometres away. Present day, there's an office on the ground floor, and the entrance to this loft sits on the first floor. The property has retained its industrial look, with exposed brick walls, an ornate ceiling, large sash windows and a dark blue epoxy floor – which has kept in pretty good shape the past 20 years, even with four children running around!



The loft sits in an area of Antwerp that was underdeveloped 20 years ago when the owners bought it, but the past 20 years the area has seen a large amount of investment and noticeable gentrification. Now the neighbourhood is lively, with lots of restaurants and bars, shops and museums.

The meter-high sash windows overlook Antwerp's city centre.



Clever partitions divide up the space to create cosy areas. A block of storage with plants on top creates a division between the main socialising space and a cosy snug area.



Next to it is a slatted wood screen that doubles as a bookcase, creating a cosy reading area.



KITCHEN


The owners didn't want a typical kitchen look with a wall of cabinetry, and instead opted for just lower cabinets, leaving the exposed brick walls intact. Architect Piet Crevits designed a long aluminium kitchen island table, as well as a long dining table on wheels that you can slide under the kitchen workspace. This makes it modular and adjustable to the amount of people there are in the house, as floor space can be freed up.



KIDS' BEDROOMS


The floating mezzanine houses the kids' bedrooms.



The floating box connects through to a fixed corridor with a bathroom. The architect had to create this fixed structure in order to house the plumbing for the bathroom.



HALLWAY


Underneath the bathroom and corridor is the entrance and exit to the loft.



There's also a hallway area, with floor-to-ceiling storage for coats and shoes.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×