The staircase between the first and second floors in a large town house have made way for a new staircase that leads directly to the second floor. The wood-covered staircase is a readable sculptural addition that makes it possible to divide up the large house while preserving the typically large spaces of the town house. An additional staircase added later leads to the communal undergroundspaces. The existing staircase between floors 0 and 1 is part of residence 1,that between floors 2 and 3 part of residence 2.

What was the brief?
Renovate a large town house with respect to the historical context and divide it in two houses for two families.

What were the key challenges?
Working in a strong existing context. Realisation with separated contractors, finding contractors who were able to do it.  Getting the new stairs between the old stairs, making a mistake of some cm implicates that the space is to less high above or beneath the case. Making everything in a good fireresistant manner was an interesting exercise.

What materials did you choose and why?
We have been choosen for plywood interventions because it’s readable, budgetfriendly, and is a regrowable material. Also the stairs are made in wood. The score of the materials on life cyclus analysis (Nibe-scale) was important in the decision of which materials we took. Small tiles opens up small spaces like bathrooms.

Team:
Architect: Atelier tom vanhee
Structural Study: Engelen engineers 
Photography: Filip Dujardin

Material Used:
1. Plywood birch
2. Staircase in beech
3. Tiles in bathrooms and kitchen topcer, with colloured joins
4. Crepy cladding (STO)
5. Reynaers aluminum roof window
6. Velux windows for the artists atelier
7. Viessman heating systems
8. PE pipes for sanitary water (geberit)
9. Zinc plus for the dormer and gutter
10. Oak floor
11. Recuperated floors, doors, …