Brussels—Diana Campbell’s apartment in Brussels stands out as a unique blend of mid-century architecture and a meticulously curated art environment that reflects her global artistic engagements and personal heritage. Occupying 3,200 square feet within a 1961 building designed by architect Jacques Cuisinier, the flat is the only one designed by the late Belgian interior designer Jules Wabbes, known for his work in the 1950s and 1960s. Campbell purchased the home in 2021 after a serendipitous discovery connected to Wabbes furniture that sparked her interest.
Campbell, a Los Angeles-born curator who studied at Princeton University before moving to South Asia, has spent increasing time in Brussels since 2018 to serve as a strategic hub between projects in Bangladesh, the Philippines, and the United States. She currently heads global initiatives for the Hartwig Foundation, which is developing a museum in Amsterdam scheduled to open in 2028. She also founded the Samdani Art Foundation in Bangladesh, overseeing the Dhaka Art Summit, and curated the inaugural Bukhara Biennial in Uzbekistan last year. Her influence in the art world was recognized recently with a ranking of 15th in ArtReview’s Power 100.
The apartment features distinctive elements emblematic of Wabbes’s style, including brass detailing, honeycomb-inspired lighting panels embedded in the ceiling, bronze hive-shaped sconces, and rosewood paneling creating an effect akin to “being inside a jewellery box,” as Campbell describes it. A prominent floating wooden staircase serves as a sculptural focal point. The original touches, such as door handles and switches, remain intact, underscoring the seamless integration of design throughout the space.
Campbell’s personal collection adds further layers to the apartment’s aesthetic. Outside the entrance, three ceramic flatbreads by Uzbek artisan Rustam Muzaffarov and Japanese artist Kei Imazu replicate a historic Bukhara gate meant to symbolize a portal to another world. Inside, works like “The Closet of the Parents” by Turin-based artist Guglielmo Castelli explore themes of transitional spaces and personal escape, reflecting Campbell’s interest in art as metaphor. Sculptures by Philipus Tkel from Palau nod to her Micronesian roots.
The double-height living room forms the heart of the home, filled with more than 150 exotic plants and a 40-year-old ficus tree integral to the apartment’s character. Natural light filters through large windows, casting shifting shadows that animate the space. A metal bird sculpture by Korean-Uzbek designer Jenia Kim, crafted with Uzbek blacksmiths for the Bukhara Biennale, presides over the mezzanine, enhancing the immersive atmosphere Campbell aims to create.
Seating throughout the apartment comprises an eclectic mix of pieces including a vintage Pierre Paulin tongue chair, Brazilian modernist Lina Bo Bardi’s Girafa stools, and woven rattan creations by Junya Ishigami, among others. Campbell often hosts cultural events, from book talks to dance parties, underscoring the apartment’s role as a vibrant meeting place.
Unexpected events have also inspired creative responses; for example, a wine glass accident that stained a white carpet led to a commissioned artwork titled “Miracle Puddles” by Belgian artist Kasper Bosmans, which now covers the spots with stone sculptures inset with motifs such as bees, a recurring theme reflecting Campbell’s familial connection to beekeeping and her extensive honey collection.
Her book collection lines the mezzanine’s walls, surrounding a cozy reading nook and a projector screen, designed for intimate gatherings. The spacious bedroom offers a contrasting ambiance with oceanic themes, featuring silk-lined dark blue walls, a Jean Lurçat tapestry depicting Neptune, turquoise-glazed fish-shaped ceiling fragments by Bukhara artisan Abdulvahid Bukhoriy Karimov, and scattered glass flowers from Palau.
Overall, Campbell describes the apartment as her “world between worlds” and a sanctuary, a carefully crafted environment that melds architectural heritage with global art influences and personal narratives.