An Insider’s Guide to Antwerp with Boris Vervoordt

Renowned architect and antique art dealer Axel Vervoordt is a founding father of the Antwerp design scene, and today, his son Boris Vervoordt is bringing the company into the future as its director, managing client relationships and the interior design team. Boris played an instrumental role in expanding the business from its original location in the historical heart of Antwerp to Kanaal, a 19th-century malting distillery transformed into a mini “city” for design that opened in 1999. In addition to the company's exhibition and foundation spaces, Kanaal contains a complex of beautifully restored 15th- and 16th-century houses with apartments, an organic market, gardens and much more—alongside permanent installations by Anish Kapoor, Tatsuo Miyajima, Marina Abramovic and James Turrell. In addition to nurturing these relationships, Boris has been a member of the Belgian Chamber of Antique Dealers since 2005, and he is affiliated with the Foundation of the Antwerp Conservatory and the Hermès Ensemble. Boris also opened a new space for the Axel Vervoordt Gallery in Hong Kong in May 2014. Below, the Antwerp native shares his tips and recommendations for Belgium's most stylish city.

How long have you lived in Antwerp?

BV: I was born in Antwerp and lived in an area known as the Vlaeykensgang, a series of narrow cobblestone paths that connect a group of homes close to the Cathedral of Our Lady. The Vlaeykensgang is full of 16th-century houses that my parents restored themselves beginning in the late 1960s. In 1986, our family moved to ‘s-Gravenwezel, a village on the outskirts of Antwerp (when I was 12), but I decided to move back to the city center after my studies. I lived there with my husband Michael until last year, when we moved to Kanaal.

What is your favorite place for breakfast or a coffee?

BV: We recently added an Italian espresso machine to our new kitchen and so my favorite place to have coffee is at home. In Antwerp though, I prefer Caffenation.

What is your favorite place for lunch with a local friend and why?

BV: My favorite place for lunch and dinner with local friends and international friends is always Arte Restaurant. It’s owned by a Sardinian/Belgian family, and they serve Italian food in the best possible way. Casual, authentic, real.

What is your favorite museum to visit over again?

BV: Museum Plantin Moretus is a magical 16th-century mansion, which was the home for one of the world’s top printing and publishing families during Antwerp’s Golden Age. When books were knowledge and the secret to information, this was one of the most influential places in the world. If you visit, take the English audio guide for the full experience.

What is your favorite museum to recommend to first-timers? Why?

BV: The KMSKA, our recently renewed Museum of Fine Arts. It has one of the finest collections of Old Master paintings, a superb “Rubens room”, the largest collection of James Ensor, and also modern masters like Rik Wouters. This spring, the KMSKA presents a large retrospective on Jef Verheyen, the Belgian ZERO artist who was closely connected to Fontana, Manzoni and Uecker.

What is your favorite neighborhood to wander in?

BV: I like the area of “Zurenborg” in Berchem, with its eccentric 19th-century houses on the Cogels Osylei.

What is your favorite location for a dose of nature?

BV: The Middelheim Museum offers the possibility for a nice walk in a park filled with an interesting collection of sculptures. On one side of the road, close to the castle is the 19th-century collection, and on the other side are the contemporary sculptures and installations.

What is your favorite place to shop for clothing?

BV: Het Modepaleis is the flagship store of Dries Van Noten, one of my favorite Antwerp designers, who is also a close friend. His collections are inspired by artworks, and the fabrics are very original and distinguished (both for men and women). One of my favorite men’s clothing shops is Mercken, a family-owned shop with timeless clothing of fine quality. For women, I like Princess.

What is your favorite place to shop for a special gift?

BV: There is a small, intimate jewelry workshop situated here at Kanaal, which I love. It’s owned by a friend Catherine Rochtus, who makes unique pieces inspired by nature. Copyright is a great bookshop, next to MOMU, the Fashion Museum, specialized in books on architecture, art and fashion. I always find a special present there.

Do you have a favorite food shop?

BV: CRU is a fresh market offering the best quality and locally cultivated food grouped under one rooftop.

Do you have a favorite hotel?

BV: Hotel Julien is a small boutique hotel situated in the old part of Antwerp; it’s family-owned by art collectors. The same family owns a larger hotel in “Groen Kwartier”, a newly developed area with several good restaurants. That hotel, called August, has a nice bar.

What activity do you recommend to first-time visitors?

BV: Stroll around the Grote Markt, visit the Cathedral of Our Lady, walk towards the Groenplaats, towards the Vrijdagmarkt, visit the Plantin Moretushuis, stroll along the Schelde. The area around the MAS Museum is wonderful. Go to the “Zuid” and stop by the KMSKA to observe the Rubens and Breughel paintings.

Do you have a favorite wellness ritual in the city?

BV: A visit to the new pool and spa at the Botanic Sanctuary Hotel—and Hotel Julien has a great underground spa and sauna.

Do you have a favorite book about the city?

BV: A few years ago, Michael Pye wrote the bestseller Antwerp. The Glory Years about the city’s rich, diverse and fascinating history. It's a great book that reads like a sensational novel.

Do you have a favorite film set in the city?

BV: I don’t have a favorite film set in Antwerp, but people-watching is a great pastime in our city. Enjoy time on the terrace of a great café and watch the people walk by.

What makes you proud to call yourself an Antwerp resident?

BV: Antwerp has a storied history and although it’s a “small town”, some might even say a “village”, we have many creative people who call Antwerp home and have been fortunate enough to be famous in their fields around the world. There’s something special about this place, the quality of life and the people who make up this city’s charm.