In Ghent, Belgium, the Glass Brick House is a compact, characterful, and carefully conceived row house. Designed by Belgian architectural studio Delmulle Delmulle Architecten, the house maximises a tight plot and limited natural light. The project is one of thoughtful compromise — a building that stands out yet belongs to its historic context, bridging past and present. By integrating structure, layout, and context, the design makes the most of a highly constrained urban site.
Site and form
On a very small plot enclosed on all sides, the project combines spatial ingenuity, modern building methods, and a refined double facade to create a liveable and emotionally resonant home. The programme is inverted, with bedrooms below, living spaces above, and a roof terrace at the top. The facade reflects this arrangement: terracotta tiles below and glass blocks above, becoming increasingly open and luminous along the ascending stairway. Inside, the compact volume feels open, layered, and calm, with white-stained timber walls, terracotta floors, and acoustic curtains lending softness and resonance.
Structure and envelope
The house is built entirely in sustainable cross-laminated timber (CLT). Panels were custom-made in the workshop using CLT produced by Binderholz in Austria, with openings for doors, windows, and technical systems, then assembled on-site by crane. The shell was completed in one week, minimising site disruption.
The bold glass-block frontage echoes the rhythm of traditional row houses, referencing local brickwork and framing windows as a natural outcome of construction rather than ornament. The glass-tiled facade is surprising: it speaks the language of a typical terraced house, brick-laid in stretcher bond and framed with window mouldings that recall a neighbouring stepped-gable house dating from 1707. Through its double-layered composition, the compact Glass Brick House achieves maximum natural light without compromising privacy, while maintaining high energy efficiency.
The home’s outer layer admits daylight deep into the plan, while the inner glazed skin provides insulation and ventilation control. Orientation and block depth further moderate heat and noise, creating a calm, comfortable interior environment.
Sustainability and materials
The Glass Brick House achieves high environmental performance through its compact form, efficient envelope, and low-carbon construction. The prefabricated CLT structure reduces embodied carbon while providing excellent thermal and acoustic comfort.
The double-layered glass frontage balances daylight, privacy, and insulation, adapting seasonally to maintain stable indoor conditions. The house integrates a heat pump, solar panels, balanced ventilation with heat recovery, and energy-efficient lighting, achieving a nearly zero-energy rating (EPC E16).
Materials were chosen for durability and low toxicity: FSC-certified joinery, terracotta tile finishes compatible with low-temperature floor heating, and mineral wool insulation made from recycled glass. Designed for disassembly, the CLT structure and natural finishes support circularity and responsible end-of-life reuse.
Architectural intent
The Glass Brick House embodies Delmulle Delmulle’s investigative approach to material, structure, and light. On its tight, enclosed plot, the design negotiates between openness and seclusion, transparency and weight, precision and warmth. Its layered timber and glass construction becomes a study in balance — a building that stands apart yet belongs, at once contemporary and deeply rooted in its context.
