Decancq Vercruysse Architects marks five years with five new residential projects across Belgium
Founded in 2021 by Hannes Decancq and Emiel Vercruysse, Decancq Vercruysse Architects is a Kortrijk-based architecture and interior design practice known for its human-centred approach and precise detailing. The studio approaches each project as a single composition, where interior and exterior are developed in tandem to form a coherent spatial experience, responding closely to the daily lives and identities of their inhabitants..
In just five years, the duo has established a clear architectural voice in Belgium’s contemporary residential landscape — one defined by clarity, human scale and long-term quality.
The studio focuses on private commissions, from rural homes to city apartments, each grounded in close dialogue with the client and the character of the site. Their work is guided by a belief that architecture should improve the rhythm and comfort of daily life.
Their work balances function, materiality and atmosphere, aiming to create spaces that feel both grounded and enduring. Every project starts with a process of observation and dialogue — understanding how clients live and how architecture can make their routines more fluid and comfortable. Materials such as natural stone, wood and plaster are used for their tactility and longevity, while spatial compositions are guided by daylight, proportion and the surrounding landscape.
The founders’ complementary backgrounds shape the practice: Decancq brings technical expertise from years on construction sites, while Vercruysse, having worked under Vincent Van Duysen, contributes a refined sense of material and atmosphere for high-end residential projects. Supported by a network of skilled local makers, they continue to develop a practice that values precision, craft and empathy as much as visual impact.
To celebrate their first five years, Decancq Vercruysse presents five recent residential projects that demonstrate the studio’s range and consistency.
Townhouse Kortrijk — Design as a Tool for Everyday Living
For their own home in central Kortrijk, architect Emiel Vercruysse and partner Marie approached renovation as a form of design research. The 1950s townhouse was reconfigured to better align with daily routines, storage needs and a desire for calm spaces.
A new glass wall connects the living area to a compact patio garden, bringing in light and greenery. The interior uses oak panelling, natural fabrics and custom joinery to create a consistent material rhythm across floors. The kitchen and dining space feature contrasting floor finishes and built-in storage, combining visual interest with practical organisation.
The project demonstrates how domestic design can improve comfort and wellbeing through thoughtful planning and restrained use of materials — a recurring theme in the firm’s work.
Pied-à-terre Brussels — A Compact Apartment for Work and Rest
In Brussels, Decancq Vercruysse converted an apartment in a former Art Deco hospital into a compact pied-à-terre for an international lawyer. The design balances professional and private functions within a limited footprint, providing space for work, rest and short family stays.
The interior continues the building’s heritage through tinted birch wall panels, metal detailing and polished brown stone surfaces. These elements reference Art Deco materials and geometry while adopting a contemporary expression. Custom metal furniture and lighting by Belgian designers Jules Wabbes and Serge Mouille complete the ensemble.
The project illustrates the firm’s focus on material continuity and balance — aligning historical context with the practical realities of modern living.
Bungalow Sint-Martens-Latem — A 1960s Icon Reborn
In Sint-Martens-Latem, the renovation of a mid-century bungalow re-examines the value of 1960s domestic modernism. Instead of erasing the building’s character, Decancq Vercruysse restored its proportions and layout while updating it for contemporary family life.
Exterior changes were minimal but precise: a repositioned entrance, reworked window composition and adjusted roofline enhance its horizontality. Inside, the plan was reorganised to integrate three bedrooms and an open living space, with a focus on daylight and connection to the surrounding woods.
Original materials like white-painted brick and natural wood were complemented by custom-made elements in stainless steel and Afromosia veneer. The result is a measured renovation that preserves the home’s architectural identity while improving its functionality — an example of how thoughtful adaptation can sustain heritage.
Palingbeek — Returning a Farmhouse Back to the Land
Near the Palingbeek nature reserve outside Ypres, Decancq Vercruysse Architects renovated a former farmhouse into a contemporary holiday home. The project aimed to reconnect the building to its rural setting while preserving the quiet dignity of the Flemish farmhouse typology.
The architects introduced a concrete base and outdoor terrace that extend the home into the landscape and create new possibilities for outdoor living. A thatched pitched roof replaced the flat one, referencing traditional craftsmanship while adding interior volume and daylight. Inside, a restrained palette of plastered walls, Belgian oak and grey stone reflects the studio’s focus on durable, natural materials.
The transformation opens the once-closed building to nature, balancing old and new elements through simple geometry and clear structure.
Sint-Martens Latem — Architecture in Dialogue with Nature
In the wooded surroundings of Sint-Martens-Latem, a family home quietly merges with the forest that inspired it. Informed by Japanese architecture and the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, the project explores how architecture can both anchor and dissolve within nature.
Set on a raised clearing, the house unfolds between density and openness — one side solid and protective, the other oriented toward light, with canopies extending over outdoor spaces and a swimming pool. Reclaimed brick from a 200-year-old water reservoir and ash wood panels express the earthy tones and textures of the forest. Their interplay of rough and smooth surfaces evokes Wright’s organic modernism and the layered horizontality of traditional Japanese temples.
Inside, Afromosia wood joinery and ceramic tiles by Petersen define a calm, tactile atmosphere. Large openings frame views of trees and sky, ensuring each space maintains a visual and sensory link to its surroundings.
Throughout the seasons, the family’s daily rituals follow the rhythm of the landscape — from long summer days by the pool to winter evenings gathered by the fireplace. The result is a home that balances shelter and openness, embodying an enduring dialogue between architecture and the living forest.
