This Beguiling Guesthouse in Belgium Has an Underground Cinema and a Watchtower

Crafted with layered wood and clad in Cor-Ten steel, a film lover’s backyard retreat offers a series of surprises.

Text by

Jenny Xie

Photos by

Tim Van de Velde

View 38 Photos

When a homeowner in the film industry asked Atelier Vens Vanbelle to build a guesthouse in his backyard, he had only one request—that it be unforgettable.

Connected to the main residence in Berlare, Belgium, by an underground corridor that leads guests up a spiral staircase, Alex Guesthouse is a three-story retreat encompassing a basement cinema and bar, a main living floor, and a watchtower surveying the Schelde river. Its sculptural, layered form was created off-site with laminated wood, then built on the property and clad in Cor-Ten steel. The undulating interiors give this backyard cabin a whimsical, grotto-like feel.

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Shop the Look

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Project Credits:

Architecture and Interior Design: Atelier Vens Vanbelle

Jenny Xie

Dwell Contributor

Jenny Xie is the author of the novel Holding Pattern, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 Honoree. She’s received fellowships from Bread Loaf, Yaddo, and MacDowell, among other organizations.

Published

May 16, 2020

Last Updated

October 2, 2025

Topics

Small Spaces Home Tours

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