Carli Vanhout, son of contractor Frans Vanhout, studied architecture at the Saint Lucas Institute in Brussels and began his career with modest projects, but achieved his breakthrough with the renovation of Frans Tanghe’s residence. In 1958, he married Mia Schellekens, daughter of architect Jozef Schellekens, which led to a fruitful collaboration with his brother-in-law Paul Schellekens.
His style evolved from moderate modernism with Scandinavian influences to a brutalist design language, characterised by functionality and expressive forms. He worked on public housing, health centres and large-scale projects such as the De Warande monastery and cultural centre in Turnhout. Together with Paul Schellekens, he played a key role in the Turnhout School.
Vanhout remained active until his death in 2000 and left a lasting impact on architecture in the region, with a focus on sustainability, aesthetics and social responsibility.
Paul Schellekens, an architect who grew up in an artistic family, was influenced by his father, provincial architect Jozef Schellekens. He too developed a passion for drawing and architecture. He studied at NHIBS in Antwerp and, in 1962, won the Glaverbel Prize for an innovative tower design.
After his studies, he collaborated with his brother-in-law Carli Vanhout. Their joint projects, such as the health centre in Hoogstraten and the De Warande Cultural Centre in Turnhout, became iconic. In 1966, he won the Prix de Rome, which reinforced his status as a leading architect.
In 1970 he became a lecturer at the State Higher Institute of Architecture in Antwerp, where he inspired generations of architects. After 1986 he continued to work independently, remaining true to brutalist and organic forms. Schellekens is remembered as a visionary architect and mentor who combined architecture with functionality and emotion, with a lasting influence on the architecture of Turnhout and beyond.
