Client: HOOME
Team: Studio Jan Vermeulen i.c.w. Tom Thys architecten, Land in Zicht, Lamda-max, Peritas
Budget: € 7.2 million
Area: 5.900 m²
Design: 2016
Stage: Completed in 2023
Photography: Jeroen Verrecht
Studio collaborators: Laurens Bots, Mathieu Boret, Katrien Lommaert, Andreas Karavanas, Pieter Van Elst, Andrij Bruyninckx, Damir Draganic, Jeroen Provoost
Qualitative Densification
Located on the fringe between the higher residential neighbourhoods of Neder-Over-Heembeek and the industrial activities in the lower canal zone of Brussels, this project contributes to the ambitions of the Plan Canal. This policy supports mending breaks in the urban fabric and advocates for the densification and diversification of Brussels’ housing stock. The SOHO project is one of the initiatives that turns this ambition into reality while also providing high-quality, affordable housing for those on a low budget.
Repairing the Street
Its stepped volume repairs the fragmented street, bringing together 66 apartments within a building that features a large communal space opening onto a new residents’ garden. The project offers a variety of affordable housing types (one- and two-bedroom), each with its own balcony, arranged along a spacious central corridor. Two vertical circulation cores connect all flats to the entrance at street level and communal spaces at the lower garden level. This garden introduces tranquillity, light, and air to the centre of this large city block. Contributing to the cooling effect of the garden, 49 new trees were planted to help mitigate the urban heat island effect during hot summer months.
Maximising Quality
The apartments are designed as compact units for small households. In each flat, careful arrangements of kitchens and utilities achieve maximum living quality within a limited space. All flats are designed to accessibility standards to ensure ease of circulation for less-abled people. The generosity of the shared spaces supports a community-oriented way of living, where younger residents may assist the elderly with daily chores and recreational activities. In this way, the project supports the possibility for elderly people to remain socially active and live at home for as long as possible.
Mediating plinths
The street façade features a horizontal composition with paired internal loggias above a dynamic concrete plinth that defines the entrance. The rear façade adopts a more vertical approach, with external balconies stacked to provide shade to the living room windows, thereby reducing the risk of overheating. A tall concrete plinth spans the entire width of the building, mediating between the garden and the project's communal areas. A generous void connects the entrance area at street level with the large communal space at garden level.
Rough and Refined
The building is finished with a rough brushed eucalyptus-coloured render, applied horizontally on the street-facing side and vertically on the garden-facing side. Green sandblasted concrete elements, bronze aluminium windows, and metallic balustrades add refinement and detail.
