A new housing project is be launched on the site where B2Ai – formerly BURO II – arose once upon a time. ‘Heron’ refers to the former site name ‘Ter Reigerie’ (‘reiger’ is Dutch for heron). It will be the sustainable, architectural nest for future generations.
With the listed office building from 1990 in a place of honour, the new site exudes our architectural philosophy to reconcile nature, architecture, and the city in beauty. You live in the centre of the city and Belgium but still in the tranquillity of a pavilion with lush park garden.
Architecture embraces nature. The layout of the apartments with their wide panoramas and the aluminium façade reflecting the green surroundings really demonstrate this.
Heron consists of four pavilions with 48 apartments from 73 m² to 129 m². The autonomous urban villas around the central core consist of four apartments per floor. They look out on the water or on the green belt that encloses the site.
The dynamism of the architecture is reflected in the varying building heights with two to three floors and the understated view to the pond and the central open space. We obtained variation in the façades by alternating the interior layout and the ‘floating’ horizontal concrete terrace strips, which blur the boundary between outside and inside. This varied play is enhanced by vertical façade panels with a brushed steel look and the large expanses of glass, which bring the light deep into the heart of the apartments.
