House-Museum: Le Paquebot, a modernist gem in Knokke-Heist
Some stays feel like a simple break from everyday life. And then there are those that fully immerse travellers in an aesthetic experience—where every detail, from the furniture to the lighting, tells a story. That’s exactly what Le Paquebot in Knokke-Heist offers: one of the standout residences in the Les Maisons CAB collection. It’s a deep dive into a modernist masterpiece by Louis-Herman De Koninck, a leading figure in Belgian modernism.
House-Museum: Le Paquebot, a modernist gem in Knokke-Heist
“Art is no longer just a passion — it becomes a way of life, blending beauty and functionality in perfect harmony.” Hubert Bonnet
An art miner
beached on the Belgian Coast
Envisioned by the Fondation CAB—renowned among connoisseurs of minimal and conceptual art for its spaces in Brussels and Saint-Paul-de-Vence—the CAB houses blur the line between art and everyday life. Designed in 1936 and recently restored with meticulous care, Le Paquebot retains its original spirit while embracing a new dimension: that of a living artwork.
Set just beyond the dunes, the building reflects the clean lines and bold forms of 1930s ocean liners. Inside, every room is conceived as a showcase, where artworks engage in dialogue with carefully selected furniture. Signatures from key figures of the 20th-century Minimalist movement are found throughout—from Belgian painter Marthe Wéry to Swiss artists Niele Toroni and Olivier Mosset, and American icons like Donald Judd, Robert Mangold, Carl Andre, and Sol LeWitt, whose mural Double Asymmetrical Pyramids captures and plays with the light.
In the living room, Untitled (1998) by Belgian painter Marthe Wéry.
Alvar Aalto
as a permanent guest
The Paimio Armchair by Alvar Aalto (1932), set before Sol LeWitt’s mural Double Asymmetrical Pyramids (1986).
On the design front, the warm, organic touch of the great Alvar Aalto is unmistakable. A 20th-century Finnish architect, urban planner, and designer, Aalto’s stylistic evolution mirrors the remarkable span of his career—from the 1920s through the 1970s. His early work was rooted in Nordic Classicism before shifting, in the 1930s, toward International Style–inspired rational modernism, eventually paving the way for the softer, more organic modernism of the 1940s and beyond.
Today, his creations light up the villa: stackable chairs, armchairs, pendant lamps, and wall sconces—all carefully selected with the expertise of François Laffanour, a specialist in collectible design. Within these walls, Aalto’s pieces engage in a quiet dialogue with De Koninck’s architectural vision.
Jenny Holzer’s Inflammatory Essays, a series of texts by the American artist and activist, loop continuously across one of the boudoir’s walls.
Le Paquebot is more than just a collection of artworks—it’s a place to be truly experienced. Its private garden, home to a sculpture by Richard Long, opens directly onto the Knokke-Heist golf course. Large windows let in soft light that dances across textures, creating a shifting atmosphere throughout the day. Outside, a majestic pine tree planted in 1937 stands watch over the pool.
In Knokke-Heist, the promise of Les Maisons CAB comes to life: offering an artistic retreat where guests live in harmony with the artworks, the furniture, the light, and the sea.
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