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Architects: Atelier Vens Vanbelle
- Area: 206 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Atelier Vens Vanbelle
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Lead Architects: Dries Vens, Maarten Vanbelle
Text description provided by the architects. Stijn and Nele bought an old farm on a 4600 m² plot just outside Ghent. There were several buildings on the site: the farm itself, in poor condition and outdated; a stable and a field barn. In the south and west of the plot there are some houses, to the north and east there is no construction and one looks out over an open rural area consisting of meadows and fields. The existing farm was so outdated that it was almost impossible to convert it in a price-conscious way into a home that meets today's living and comfort requirements. That is why it was decided to play the card of reconstruction but with the necessary respect for the beautiful wide surroundings. A design and construction method was sought that could achieve a maximum result with limited resources. A compact volume with a minimum of circulation and use of materials. At first sight, the hexagonal plan seems stranger than it is: a hexagonal building volume is a lot more compact than a rectangular volume, and a lot less material is needed to construct the building.
By providing the circulation between the different spaces in a central hexagon, very little floor space was sacrificed for circulation. From the center of this hexagon, the wooden beams of the ceilings fan out to the facades. A round dome was placed centrally in the volume, allowing a lot of daylight to enter the center of the house. A round gap was made in the floor under this dome, allowing light to reach the ground floor. A fixed planter was made downstairs, covered with blue zelliges. The edge of the planter serves as a bench. The central hexagon was finished with stone strips. In combination with the abundance of daylight, it gives the impression that you are walking outside for a while. An elegant blue balustrade was placed on the upper floor. The soft brown carpet provides a pleasantly soft feel and optimal acoustics. A red-brown concrete floor was provided on the ground floor. In combination with the wooden ceilings, this provides a pleasant material palette.
Around the central hexagon in the plan, six equal pentagonal spaces were provided on the first floor: three equal bedrooms, a spacious bathroom, a hobby room and a passage/dressing room. Downstairs, this is reflected in a spacious entrance, a home office and a storage room. At the rear, the walls were replaced by a few steel columns, so the living space forms a single entity. A lot of effort was put into the beautiful views. By opening up different corners of the house, fascinating views are created and one can optimally enjoy the peaceful landscape, the orientation, etc. From every room one gets the feeling of standing/living in the vast landscape. From the living spaces, one can make contact with the outside space and the surroundings in different ways: on one side (kitchen and dining area) the house is more oriented towards the garden and the terrace, so that this feels very private. From the dining area and sitting area, the living area is oriented towards the meadows behind and the expansive view. All the rooms are also subtly connected via the central void, creating a rich and airy sense of space.
A brown brick was used and the mortar was not removed during the masonry. This gives the facade a sturdy and robust appearance. The yellow border at the top of the volume gives the building a fresh touch. The hexagonal shape means there is no typical front or rear facade, so the house appears like a kind of keep in the landscape. The energy supply was provided autonomously as much as possible (water management, heating, photovoltaic cells, etc.). The result is a budget-friendly, comfortable and contemporary home that integrates into the beautiful landscape and fully focuses on living quality.
