Following major renovation works, the house of Peter Paul Rubens, one of the five great Flemish artists, will be reopening to visitors on 30 August. A robust piece of architecture, a colourful ceiling-less museum hall, 2,000 meters of books and papers and an offering that focuses on experience and comfort will await visitors at the famous Hopland 13 address in the city of Antwerp.
Called Rubenshuis (from Rubens and huis, the Dutch word for house), this brand-new building, designed by Robbrecht en Daem Architects, now provides access to the Rubens Experience, the lush, reimagined baroque garden and the library. Demonstrating the same vision that Rubens had when converting his house into a palace in the city, Robbrecht en Daem created a contemporary building that would serve as the new entrance to the Rubenshuis.
With the renovations, the artist’s universe has been expanded and made more accessible for everyone. In the Rubens Experience, complex technology will immerse visitors in the artist’s universe. They will also come face to face with the master himself, as one of the side rooms is home to several works of art, including his famous self-portrait.
Meanwhile, at the library, people will be able to explore thousands of documents for themselves. The collection comprises decades’ worth of publications from researchers, students and heritage fans who have found their way to the world-famous collection of Rubens and other masters of Flemish art. With thousands of publications, old books and archived documents, this is where fiction meets reality.
After an extensive study of hundreds of archived documents, floral still lifes, gardeners’ handbooks and even handwritten letters from Rubens himself, the garden has now been brought back to life, returning to its status as a green extension of the artist’s city palace. The contemporary design showcases 17,500 plants, including tulips, marigolds, citrus plants, fig trees, medlar trees and magnolias.
With advice from fashion designer Dries Van Noten, the garden has been turned into a colourful open-air museum, ensuring each season brings with it a new palette. In spring, flamed tulips will take over the scenery. In summer, the Nigella damascena (love-in-a-mist) flowers transform the garden into a sea of blues and purples. In autumn, ground-covering plants, such as bright pink cyclamen will contrast the greys of the rainy season. Even in winter, shrubs will remain a striking green.
The garden design also takes into account sustainability, future-proofing, energy efficiency and inclusive access. Thanks to the layered vegetation, the garden becomes an ecological stepping stone in the city, mitigating higher temperatures, flooding during heavy rainfall, urban noise and large amounts of CO2 and particulate matter in the air.
