CUBEX, the Belgian icon of modernist kitchen design, unveils its first wine cellar

Created in 1930 by architect Louis Herman De Koninck, CUBEX is the pioneer of the fitted and modular kitchen. Since 2015, Xavier De Breucker and Nicolas Swinnen have been reviving this icon of Belgian design through the C30 line, dedicated to high-end kitchens. With the CUBEX Wine Cellar, the brand now takes a new step forward.

Capable of holding more than 4,000 bottles, this wine cellar combines the precision of the original modernist design with unprecedented technological mastery. CUBEX will present a preview of this innovation at Maison&Objet in Paris, from January 15 to 19, 2026.

The Wine Cellar: A New Chapter

Derived from the iconic C30 line, the CUBEX Wine Cellar translates the brand’s fundamentals — modularity, precision, and timelessness — into a storage space dedicated to the art of wine. CUBEX's signature technical expertise is complemented by refrigeration, integrated with the same discretion as appliances in custom kitchens.

Solid afzelia wood, deep lacquers, sculptural brass handles, and precisely curved lines reflect meticulous attention to materials and craftsmanship. The result is a wine cellar that is simultaneously functional, sculptural, and contemporary.

Originally created for a private commission, the CUBEX Wine Cellar can hold over 4,000 bottles, yet adapts to each individual project. This new addition to the CUBEX catalogue will be presented at Maison&Objet in Paris, from January 15 to 19, 2026, marking the beginning of a new approach to living spaces.

CUBEX: Between Heritage and Renewal

Created in 1930 with Belgian architect Louis Herman De Koninck, CUBEX invented the fitted and modular kitchen. In 2015, Xavier De Breucker and Nicolas Swinnen relaunched the modernist brand, notably reissuing the iconic C30 line.

Handcrafted from rare materials — solid brass, varnished afzelia, enameled lava stone, and granite — and entirely custom-made, CUBEX kitchens combine the precision of the original design with contemporary functionality.

Practical Information

CUBEX Wine Cellar

Photos crédit @mireilleroobaert

Other Iconic CUBEX Projects

The Origins of the Equipped Kitchen

Although the Frankfurter Küche or the American kitchens of the 1950s are often cited as the birthplace of the modern kitchen, the idea of an equipped and modular kitchen actually originated in Belgium. Between 1927 and 1930, Louis Herman De Koninck developed a revolutionary concept: the kitchen as a rational, functional space, built from standardized modules.

His design was presented at CIAM III in Brussels in 1930 and stood out for its seamless fusion of functionality and aesthetics. It was the first truly equipped kitchen, featuring integrated sinks, dedicated cabinets for tableware, utensils, and provisions, as well as space for the new household appliances of the era.

From 1930 to 1965, the CUBEX kitchen entered thousands of Belgian homes, becoming one of the most significant commercial successes of interwar modernism. Thanks to entrepreneur Émile Jean Van de Ven, the system was industrialized and cleverly marketed, including collaborations with appliance manufacturers and architects.

About Louis Herman De Koninck

Louis Herman De Koninck (1896–1984) was a leading Belgian architect and designer, and the creator of the CUBEX kitchen — a symbol of modern domestic culture since the 1930s.

As a key figure of rational modernism, he embodied a vision where logic, clarity of form, and uncompromising functionality were central. Educated at the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts and influenced by Victor Horta, he developed an early interest in new techniques and industrial materials.

It was in this context that he designed his modular, standardized kitchen system, which became CUBEX. His work is distinguished by minimalist elegance, architectural pragmatism, and exceptional technical precision.