Belgian architecture

The extension for this house located at the countryside of  Aalter (Flanders) was conceived as a pavilion, connected as an appendix to the existing house. The very dark and closed rooms of the existing house are reduced to secondary functions such as storage rooms, TV corner and home office. The living spaces in the new section are developed in contrast to the existing house as very light-rich spaces, nestled in the green character of the surrounding garden and vast landscape. Johnny Umans The fragile appearance of the extension should underscore the pavilion feel, splitting the walkways into an indoor and outdoor course created by airy canopies acting as sunshades and covered terrace area. Resulting in the Holiday feeling envisi... More

On an existing school site in the Flemish village center of Boekt, four new classrooms are being built to complement the existing nursery school. The massive and compact new building in fair-faced concrete is set perpendicular to the existing school building and brings the school into relationship with the public domain. To connect the two buildings, a circular concrete canopy is placed centrally. Dennis Brebels Dennis Brebels Dennis Brebels Dennis Brebels The core in the middle is used as an outdoor storage area, around which the children can play, walk and cycle endlessly. Depending on the weather, the canopy serves as a large umbrella or parasol. By allowing the roof to cantilever six meters, there is some flirting w... More

A 70’s split-level house with a square ground plan, dark spaces and no relationship to the large garden was transformed into a contemporary home with plenty of daylight and carefully framed views to the beautiful surroundings. The house is located on a corner plot on the edge of a typical Flemish allotment in Diepenbeek and near to the nature reserve De Dijken where the Stiemerbeek and the Kaatsbeek flows into the Demer. In the large open corner garden, there was deliberately no construction to preserve the openness to the neighbourhood and the landscape. The overall footprint of the existing house was reduced and adapted with some clever interventions to fully exploit the qualities of the plot. Jeroen Verrecht Jeroen Verrecht... More

The reception volume, building Q, was located in the heart of the site but did not utilize this position. It hindered necessary circulation and blocked interesting interactions. From this perspective, it was decided to remove this volume. To have a clearer view of the site, the extension of building F was also demolished. Stijn Bollaert The existing islands are now visually or physically connected through a structuring element. They appear as lobes forming a cohesive whole. This composition is a powerful gesture that incorporates the amorphous forms of the existing buildings and potential new additions. Sometimes it avoids the existing structure, sometimes it intersects with it, and sometimes it passes underneath. Stijn Bollaert... More

Four massive stone walls structure all the interior and exterior living spaces of this dwelling. Relatively closed on the access side, the spaces open up completely on the garden side.A minimalist glazed seam creates a set of outdoor covered areas for sun protection and terraces. Caption Caption All the elements accompanying the natural stone are treated in raw steel both inside (wall coverings, stairs, windows, wood-burning fireplace, …) and outside (wall coverings, …). A totally wooden "hat" contains the night spaces. The perforated cladding work perfectly integrates all the architectural elements (facing, roofing, cornices, chimney, etc.). The terraces are carefully integrated into the mass. Caption Capt... More

NOTAN OFFICE, a Brussels-based architecture and urban design practice, has demonstrated its expertise in transforming industrial courtyards into housing ensembles while preserving the essence of the place. The firm's architectural strategy involves reusing in-situ elements and structural components, which helps them to create a strong identity that blends past, present, and future. By maintaining the existing DNA of the site, NOTAN OFFICE avoids disrupting the site's historical significance, and their approach promotes a sense of continuity and respect for the site's heritage. This technique is highly relevant for urban development projects, as it encourages a sustainable approach to architecture that values the history and cultural heritag... More