At Vlassak-Verhulst, designing a high-end villa or apartment is a journey that starts with a blank page. To ensure our team stays on the right track throughout the process, we use the moodboard as our creative compass. It is the tool that guides every architectural decision and every interior design choice.

Many of our clients have a certain feeling about their ideal home, but find it difficult to put this into words. The mood board makes the invisible visible. It translates vague desires into a concrete palette of textures and colours. It is the first tangible step in our process of hassle-free building; a visual confirmation that your dream is in safe hands with us and that, together, we are setting a course towards a result that exceeds your expectations.

A building project is a series of hundreds of choices. Without a clear starting point, there is a risk of losing coherence. By bringing together images of light, space and materials, we create a shared language. This ensures that when we talk about ‘cosiness’ or ‘exclusivity’, we have exactly the same image in mind. Crucially, as a client, you are guided throughout the entire process by one of our interior architects who matches your style. The mood board thus becomes the common thread running through the entire project.

Whether it’s choosing a specific type of natural stone for the kitchen or the texture of the cladding bricks, we assess every decision against our original guiding principles. Does this element still fit within the atmosphere we defined at the outset?

This methodology enables us to realise complex overall concepts in which the architecture, the garden and the interior are seamlessly coordinated. A key focus in our approach is the symbiosis between the architecture and the interior. We never compile our mood boards in isolation. An interior choice is always assessed against the exterior. How does the light react to the chosen upholstery when viewed through large windows? How does the floor of the living area flow into the terrace? The mood board forces us to monitor these sightlines and transitions from the outset, so that a soothing unity is created.

At Vlassak-Verhulst, we do not rely on blind faith, but on the precision of a well-thought-out visual concept. In this way, your dream home becomes not merely a sum of materials, but a harmonious whole that is right down to the smallest detail.

 

The Mea Terra project is a groundbreaking pilot project that takes current villa construction to the next level by applying the principles of bio-based and regenerative building. The main objective is to demonstrate that luxurious, modern living can be achieved using renewable, natural materials, creating a living environment that is not only sustainable but also actively promotes the health of its residents. The first tangible result is a fully bio-based show home, built with materials such as hemp, wood and clay, all of which have been carefully selected for their low environmental impact and regenerative potential.

Inspired by Japanese architectural philosophies that emphasise simplicity, balance and harmony with nature, the house serves as a living example of what the future of sustainable building could look and feel like. The project aims to lead the transformation of luxury construction by demonstrating that bio-based materials can meet the highest standards of craftsmanship and design. It also aims to create a collaborative platform where innovators, builders, suppliers and clients can experience and promote sustainable building in practice. By providing a tangible, inspiring model, Mea Terra accelerates the sector’s transition to circular, low-carbon building systems. The impact is both ecological and cultural. Ecologically, it reduces the carbon footprint, eliminates petrochemical-based materials and promotes a closed-loop cycle of raw materials. Culturally, it acts as a catalyst for change, encouraging professionals, policymakers and clients to embrace natural materials, rethink established norms and invest in a healthier, regenerative future. This model home is more than just a house: it is a hub for inspiration, dialogue and action – accessible to all stakeholders in the construction sector.

Carl Koyen, Project Manager at Mea Terra, is convinced that the bio-based movement has a bright future in the construction sector.

“With Mea Terra, we aim to accelerate the transition towards a low-carbon construction sector by demonstrating that bio-based building materials can go hand in hand with high-quality design and sustainability.” He adds: “This creates a living environment that is not only environmentally conscious, but also actively promotes the health of its residents.”

The outer shell has now been expertly constructed by our team using lime-hemp blocks, and the CLT (cross-laminated timber) for the upper floor will soon be completed.

The combination of these two powerful, natural building materials offers numerous benefits; for instance, lime-hemp ensures exceptionally high thermal inertia, providing exceptional comfort in both summer and winter. Whereas traditional insulation materials merely block heat, lime-hemp goes a step further: it both insulates and buffers heat. The combination of insulation, mass, heat storage and moisture buffering creates a stable indoor climate. In addition, lime hemp ensures a healthy moisture balance indoors, which further enhances living comfort. The CLT interior walls and floor panels, in turn, create a solid, warm and stable core within the home.

All this results in a home that is not only beautiful and innovative, but also truly lives and breathes.

Since 1970, Vlassak-Verhulst has built up a solid reputation in Belgium and the Netherlands, but we are also asked to take on prestigious projects beyond these borders. A particularly fine example of this is a Haussmann-style apartment in the seventh arrondissement of Paris, where we have been undertaking a complete renovation since early 2025.

The Haussmann style in Paris is the architectural and urban planning style that emerged from the large-scale renovation of Paris in the 19th century by Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann. This architectural style is one of the most emblematic in Paris and is characterised by wrought-iron balconies and stately buildings of uniform height; no apartment building was allowed to be higher than six storeys. The white facing brick and decorative elements adorning the balconies and terraces give these buildings an impressive appearance.

 

‘What makes this total project so special is that, thanks to our extensive expertise, we are able to bring new life into the authentic elements and refined details of this unique architectural style, while creating a sustainable home with all modern amenities and high energy standards,’ says Maxime Verhulst.

This renovation project will be completed this summer. Keep an eye on our website for the continuation of this beautiful Parisian project.

Laren, a charming town in North Holland’s Gooi region, is renowned for its sophistication, elegant villas, stylish boutiques, and the Singer Laren Museum, which attracts artists and art lovers alike. Amidst this refined setting, a remarkable new project is taking shape: Nispen Laren.

Developer Mark Voerman speaks with great passion about a project he began developing several years ago:

“Nispen Laren is inspired by the rich fin de siècle architecture of the early 1900s, a time when buildings were created with true elegance and passion.”

The development consists of three buildings offering ten exclusive apartments and two semi-detached villas. Each apartment occupies an entire floor, while the penthouses — offering up to 450 square metres of living space — feel more like private villas than apartments. Nispen Laren presents a rare opportunity for those who value quality, exclusivity, and a prime location. Residents will enjoy premium facilities, including a spacious underground car park, a welcoming lobby for relaxation or entertaining guests, all set within a beautiful English-style landscaped garden.

Each residence will be delivered according to the “Design Your Own” concept, allowing buyers to collaborate with the Vlassak-Verhulst team to tailor their home in every detail. “We deliberately chose to partner with Vlassak-Verhulst for this project — their craftsmanship and commitment to excellence are second to none,” says Voerman.

“Construction is underway, and completion is scheduled for spring 2027. Over 70% of the apartments have already been sold, but we are, of course, happy to speak with new interested parties,” he concludes.

For more information, please contact Jo Lauryssen at +32 495 20 21 55 or via email at jo.lauryssen@vlassakverhulst.com

We all know the appeal that certain buildings can have on us. Whether it are the surroundings, special appearances or architectural elements that make an impact, for many people a building is more than just a place to live or work. This is no different for Maxime Verhulst.

As CEO, he fully stands behind every new build and renovation that bears his company’s name, but there is one building in particular that has attracted him for decades. ‘I regularly cycle through the city, and time and again I was charmed by the beautiful façade and grandeur of the presbytery on the Markgravenlei,’ says Maxime enthusiastically.

When the building was put up for sale, Maxime made it his mission to restore it to its former glory and turn it into a place where people can come together and enjoy themselves in beautiful surroundings. After submitting an extensive file, including pen drawing, the Church Council approved the plans and the craftsmen of Vlassak-Verhulst were set to work to turn this building into a unique meeting place.

Vlassak-Verhulst undertook the restoration and extension with great love and dedication, taking into account the building’s many historical features. ‘It was an exceptional project, as it concerns a listed monument. This entails restrictions, but also offers us, as a construction company, the opportunity to apply our craftsmanship, aesthetics and continuous innovation. “The result is impressive, and we are extremely proud to be part of this fantastic project,” Maxime continues.

The interior design and styling of the restaurant was created by Bram Bosschaert of gestalt architects in close collaboration with the Cobra team, while Siegbert van Reeth carefully transformed the 1,000 m² garden into a dreamy space with room for a wild English garden and a self-sufficient vegetable garden.

Cobra House – a place where aesthetics and design come together

Cobra House is a new initiative from the team behind the Cobra restaurant on the Leopoldplaats in Antwerp. The team’s ambition with Cobra House is to take the next step in their brand development, with the aim of creating not just a restaurant, but an establishment where hospitality, art, inspiration and catering come together.

Both Vlassak-Verhulst and Cobra House attach great importance to exceptional experiences and high-quality finishes. This quickly led to a fruitful collaboration between the two companies. “We are therefore very proud to be part of this community and hope to welcome many business relations to this exceptional place,” adds Maxime.