Van Den Weghe: Symbiosis of Technology, Art, and Craftsmanship

Tanguy Van Quickenborne took over the Van Den Weghe natural stone company in Zulte nine years ago. Ever since the company carved its way to the top of the interior and architecture world. Quite literally, he shook up the somewhat sleepy family firm to get to a kick start. This upgrade took place on different levels. First of all, this is was because of a much more exclusive range of superior marbles from every point of the compass, Van Den Weghe has fast become one of the world’s luxury natural stone companies. Secondly, because of the intensive collaboration with state-of-the-art architects of international calibre. Lannoo has recently bundled their high-end projects into a beautiful book, which is designed to look like a block of marble: ‘Stoned: Architects, Designers, and Artists on the Rocks’.

The wordplay is not at all gratuitous: anyone who cares to look in Van Den Weghe’s website will see concrete proof of the power of natural stone in contemporary architecture and interiors. Interior architect, Arjaan De Feyter, clad a pool house bar in bright red Iranian travertine. Leading Paris architect, Pierre Yovanovitch worked with Van Den Weghe on the interior of the biggest art gallery in Belgium. And Glenn Sestig even has his own signature ‘titanium travertine’. This is reserved exclusively for him, for his prime projects. Then there is Luc Tuymans’ duplex penthouse, which made it into ‘Stoned’. Leading architecture naturally also calls for craftsmanship and technology at the highest level. And Van Den Weghe just happens to have exactly the right skills in his possession. The company believes that architecture and design are of primary importance, which is why we want to pay tribute to natural stone and its various applications. The symbiosis of technology, art and craftsmanship is a continuing endeavor. Van Quickenborne reflects: the symbiosis comes together in working with materials such as natural stone. the basis is always craftsmanship, then comes a sauce of art and we use the technical possibilities of today to get the most cutting edge results.

Van Quickenborne very quickly made his name in the crowded natural stone market in Europe, as a newcomer to the sector. Van Den Weghe has grown to become an international luxury brand and is effortlessly placed in the same sentence as Bulthaup, Vola, Molteni, and Obumex. The award-winning innovation is now the cherry on the marble cake for many interior architects. Van Den Weghe’s R&D team also devised a technique for the mass-coloring of natural stone. Check out the stools in dégradé marble by the Paris architect, Sophie Dries and you will understand the mega potential for designers. ‘Stoned’ is just marble eye candy from the top bookshelf. Van Quickenborne emphasizes: 95% of what we do comes through architects, decorators, interior designers etc simply because we speak the same aesthetic language, have a passion for what is beautiful.  You also sense the chief personal passion for art and design. It is that aspect – his collaborations with designers and artists – that make both him and the book unique.