Hotel August offers a modern-day sanctuary in Antwerp's Green District
Hotel August is a former Augustinian convent quirkily reimagined by Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen
Antwerp’s Green District landmark, Hotel August, is now a proud member of The Aficionados, an established guide for design hotels, travel culture and lifestyle. First revealed in 2019, the transformation of this historical gem was carried out by Belgian architect and interior/product designer Vincent Van Duysen (currently showing at Design Miami 2023), along with hotelier Mouche Van Hool, renowned for her success with Antwerp’s Hotel Julien.
Hotel August is a modern-day sanctuary featuring a bar and restaurant, wellness facilities, a shop and gardens
Named after the former Augustinian cloister and chapel, Hotel August occupies five interconnected red-brick grand buildings, encompassing a private chapel, former nuns’ living quarters, townhouses, and walled gardens. Van Duysen, in his inaugural hotel project, has restored the neoclassical features dictated by the building’s listed status, infusing it with a modern touch.
Upon passing through the iconic matt-black steel canopy, guests are enveloped in the tranquillity envisioned by Van Duysen. The desaturated colour palette, a signature touch, sets the stage for the coexistence of restored heritage and contemporary design - ‘an urban bolthole of subtle monochromatic style edged in functional luxury,’ as described by the creative duo.
The hotel’s essence pays homage to its past through details like the revived chapel floor tiles, while statement centrepiece lighting from Flos and custom-designed Molteni&C furniture in moody blues and charcoal noir define its modern character. Original grey-green timber and white mouldings coalesce with modern black elements, creating a contemporary haven within historical walls. In the bedrooms, once nuns’ quarters, a palette of sage-green, creamy whites, marble, wood, and tawny tones offers a serene retreat.
Van Duysen, reflecting on the project, shares: ‘My overall strategy in turning the hidden gem and its gardens into a hotel was first and foremost to respect the historical DNA of the site and its surroundings, achieved through the careful restoration of its neoclassical splendour, through the addition of contemporary architectural elements, suitably upgrading the premises to its new function as a modern hotel.’
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. She was born in Madrid, Spain but moved to London when she was 14 years old. Being exposed to the city’s creative pulse at such a young age shaped her into the inquisitive professional she is today. Before joining the Wallpaper* team in 2023, she worked for Hypebae and Hypebeast UK, where she focused on the intersection of art, fashion, and culture. Additionally, she contributed to Futurevvorld by covering a variety of sustainability topics.
-
First look: Western Mongolia meets Kew Gardens in John Pawson and Oyuna Tserendorj’s cashmere throws
Architectural designer John Pawson and cashmere designer Oyuna Tserendor have collaborated on a cashmere throw collection inspired by Pawson’s 70m Lake Crossing in the Royal Botanical Gardens
By Scarlett Conlon Published
-
How to buy art: the accessible new market
Thanks to a growing pool of art advisers, digital intelligence and collector groups, buyers are better equipped than ever
By Annabel Keenan Published
-
The coolest design-led coffee shops in Seoul
Seoul counts more coffee shops per capita than any other city in the world – cut straight to our six must-visit spots
By Robert Schneider Published
-
Stay in Paradis, a heavenly new ‘curated apartment’ on the Belgian coast
The vibrant Belgian harbour town of Ostende is now home to an art and design-filled holiday apartment by local agency Club Paradis
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Bar Magritte in Brussels is the world’s only bar dedicated to the Belgian Surrealist artist
Bar Magritte, located inside Hotel Amigo in Brussels, offers expert mixology and René Magritte’s inimitable quirkiness
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Fine dining and environmentally friendly shelters define La Roseraie Modave
Chef Marie Trignon’s La Roseraie Modave adds these cabin-style shelters to its acclaimed dining offering, on the edge of the Ardennes in Belgium
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
La Réserve, Knokke’s grand dame of hospitality, is back with a bang
La Réserve in Knokke launches its luxurious redesign by Glenn Sestig, bringing the iconic Belgian hotel icon into the 21st century
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Brussels' Mix Hotel opens in the former headquarters of La Royale Belge
For the new Mix Hotel, Lionel Jadot completed the interior overhaul of the former headquarters of La Royale Belge in Brussels
By Emma O'Kelly Published
-
August Hotel — Antwerp, Belgium
By Daven Wu Published
-
L.E.S.S. by Hertog Jan — Bruges, Belgium
By Melina Keays Last updated
-
XYZ Lounge — Ghent, Belgium
By Rooksana Hossenally Last updated