Mercurius House by Studio Contekst

Industrial Heritage Reimagined into a Warm Urban Home in Antwerp

Architects: Studio Contekst 

 From Industry to Intimacy

Located in a transforming Antwerp neighborhood, the Mercurius House by Studio Contekst embodies a meticulous architectural narrative of adaptive reuse. Originally designed as a dual-function building—with a production space on the ground floor and a private residence above—the structure had evolved through multiple industrial uses, from meat processing to an automotive workshop. As the surrounding district became increasingly residential, Studio Contekst seized the opportunity to reconvert the ground floor into a living space, unifying the building into a contemporary urban residence.

Reworking the Facade: A Subtle Dialogue with the Street

To reconnect the home with the public realm while maintaining privacy, the architects replaced the former industrial gate with a custom-designed entrance featuring plastic grilles within steel frames. These sliding panels were designed to echo the yellow brick façade and filter natural light into the newly residential ground floor. This street-facing intervention establishes a balance between security, transparency, and historical memory.

Spatial Planning and Structural Expression

The ground floor layout was planned with careful attention to the existing concrete grid structure. By using the original structural rhythm as a guide, Studio Contekst developed a series of domestic spaces, including a kitchen, utility room, and children’s playroom.

The raw concrete beams, exposed and sandblasted, were not only retained but celebrated. These elements anchor the spatial identity of both the interior and the adjacent garden terrace, tying the old to the new with architectural clarity.

Interior Design: Honoring Material Memory

Throughout the renovation, the design team retained and reused original materials and elements wherever possible. Key examples include:

• Recovered mosaic parquet flooring, which now acts as a unifying thread across multiple spaces.
• Art Deco-inspired arched openings, preserved from the former apartment, now define transitions between the bedroom and the dressing area.
• The factory’s industrial pendant lighting was refurbished to serve as a kitchen focal point.
• Select “inserts” were used creatively—such as integrating a bathtub and shower combo in the former dining room—showing a resourceful approach to space and heritage.

The Garden: A Floating Urban Oasis

To introduce green space in this formerly dense industrial plot, part of the building was carefully dismantled to create a floating terrace and garden area. The terrace extends organically into the outdoors, while the exposed brick walls celebrate the site’s layered history. This new outdoor room forms a tranquil urban oasis, providing not just relief but continuity with the building's material legacy.

Work-Life Integration in the Modern Age

One of the standout transformations is the former superintendent’s office, which has been converted into a home office. This space exemplifies the project’s broader theme: redefining functional reuse to support contemporary urban living, all while preserving the character and soul of the original structure.

 Architectural Continuity through Conscious Transformation

Mercurius House is more than a renovation—it’s a sensitive reawakening of space through historical preservation, material reuse, and thoughtful design interventions. Studio Contekst has created a home that respects its industrial past while accommodating modern living, seamlessly blending raw textures, clean geometry, and functional fluidity. The project stands as a compelling case study in how architecture can evolve with its context—socially, materially, and structurally.

All photographs are works of  Evenbeeld