The living area of a Los Angeles residence designed by Antwerp, Belgium, architect Vincent Van Duysen.
Photo: Stephen Kent Johnson/Otto
Creative Mind: Vincent Van Duysen
The Belgian designer conjures residential and commercial spaces as well as myriad product collections that resonate for their mastery of materials
Vincent Van Duysen. Photo: Stefan Temmerman
With his exacting eye and talent for manipulating simple materials into striking works of quiet richness, Belgian designer Vincent Van Duysen creates residential and commercial spaces, streamlined furnishings, and home accents that subtly exude grandeur and sophistication.
“I enjoy being as observant as possible and have a strongly visual approach,” says Van Duysen, who helms his own studio in Antwerp and serves as the creative director of Molteni&C. Additionally, the architect—who is celebrating his 40th anniversary in the field this year—conceives refined collections for a diverse range of brands, including Zara Home, Serax, and Fantini. “Natural materials are the focus of my creations. They instill a sense of serenity and wholeness into my interiors or products.”
Personal process: “I always utilize or adopt natural and organic materials and finishes that are textured, warm, and tactile. And they age amazingly so they acquire a patina that makes interiors, spaces, or objects timeless. But I am not into minimalist, sober interiors. I want soul.”
Ferragamo Boutique in Milan, Italy. Photo: Nicolò Panzeri
B Residence in Lombardy, Italy. Photo: Mark Seelen
“I am not into minimalist, sober interiors. I want soul”
Vincent Van Duysen
Material approach: “To me light is as much a construction material as brick or brass or wood. The interplay is so important when I design because it is the quality of light that sculpts the emotions you feel within a space or around a design object. In my work, it is always a balance between spaces that are bathed in light complemented by spaces that are darker, more subdued, and calming.”
A vintage Jean Prouvé desk and chair create a contemplative workspace before the sea view for this DH Apartment in Knokke, Belgium. Photo: Piet-Albert Goethal
Zara Home+ by Vincent Van Duysen – Collection 03. Photo: François Halard
Design ethos: “My attention goes out to a pureness in aesthetics by undoing the clutter. We need to slow down, to cut back on everything by getting to the core of
life and living.”
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2025 Spring Issue under the headline “Creative Minds.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: The living area of a Los Angeles residence designed by Antwerp, Belgium, architect Vincent Van Duysen.
Photo: Stephen Kent Johnson/Otto
