We bought this house, the largest of 'de Kleyne en de Groote Engel', as a dilapidated monument with the intention of restoring this beautiful historic property and then giving it a place it deserves in bustling Mechelen. It is a great, original residential house, but we also see the property as a business in which commercial or cultural activities can take place. The restoration was done very thoroughly and completely but our starting point was always to restore the original value. In doing so, we obviously worked strictly to all contemporary standards in terms of technology and insulation. We deliberately chose an unfinished look. Core elements, such as the painted stairs, old interior doors, fireplaces, floors and beams in the ceilings, were retained and restored to their original state. This gave this property the original look it has today. For the interior design, we collaborated with the well-known Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek, a partnership that for us really completed the picture.