Belgium

This former chalet was transformed into an airy house, whereby the volume of the extension was adapted to the positioning of the existing oak trees. The structure is made of steel and finished with black-oiled wooden cladding and a gold anodised facade. Maintaining a holiday feeling, opening up to the garden as much as possible, as well as creating a captivating spaciousness through the expanding roof shape in contrast to the limited ceiling heights of the existing parts. The kitchen is situated in between the old and new and forms the transition between day and night functions. Giulia Frigerio Giulia Frigerio The site, formerly characterized by an archetypal chalet acting as a holiday home, is situated in the woods of Aalter (Be... More

A young couple is charmed by the patina and character of the casco space they purchased near the centre of Brussels. The old wooden beams, the rough concrete floor, the traces of paint that testify to years of intense use and the three majestic cast-iron columns. Our brief is to develop an interior that includes a living space, two bedrooms, a bathroom, a guest toilet and ample storage space further building on (and thus partially preserving) the space's existing qualities. Evenbeeld The designed pursued three clear goals: the existing columns should become directors of the new spatiality; natural light needs to reach deep inside the heart of the flat and ecological materials should be used. All of this whilst strengthening the as-fou... More

Leading architect Sumayya Vally, Principal of the Johannesburg/London-based studio Counterspace, has won the competition to design the new Asiat-Darse pedestrian bridge in Vilvoorde, Belgium. Counterspace’s response to the brief uncovered the story and legacy of Paul Panda Farnana, one of the most important, yet least acknowledged figures of the city, who epitomises the region’s complex relationships with past and future generations of migrant bodies and communities. Render: Counterspace The studio has been praised for its research-led approach, which led to the discovery of Farnana and his work, and for shedding light on an otherwise overlooked, vital part of the city’s history. Farnana used his position to advoca... More

A new family home is located on a sloped terrain in Holsbeek, Belgium on the edge of the forest with respect for its context, the surrounding trees, its orientation and the different viewpoints.  Tim Van de Velde The building volume is pushed into the terrain with the entrance, bedrooms and bathroom located on the ground floor to keep the rooms cool in warm weather conditions. But they still have a lot of daylight and views on the forest due to the positioning of the windows.  Tim Van de Velde The different living areas are organized on the second floor with sights towards the forest on one side and the treetops on the other. The living areas are oriented towards the south with a covered terrace at the end overlooking... 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

The interior of this typical Verviers’ house was completely renovated both in terms of spaces and circulation, as well as in terms of thermal and acoustic comfort. Caption All the integrated furniture were design to simplify the volumes, to define each space and to organize the storage.  Caption Outside, on all the façades, the existing volume is completed by new contemporary interventions. Those contrasts with the traditional vocabulary of the existing house. Caption Extension’s panels : Equitone Pictura Black Existing walls : STO  Garden’s surface : 2 700 m2 House’s surface : 250 m2 (living spaces) Caption Caption More

The number of children is increasing in several northern European countries, so is the need for good childcare institutions. It is important to include the children's perspective in the design of the new institutions, and that the architecture supports the development of body and mind.Read the full product experience here: https://stertekt.nl/ Or download our Brochure: https://stertekt.nl/upload/a411bc_2024-v1_Sterktekt_Brochu.pdf Maria Bax Fotografie According to Mille Sylvest, PhD in environmental psychology and partner at the consultancy Human Studio, new buildings should meet the specific needs of the institution in question - and not follow a universal template. She also points out that the architecture of a good childcare instit... More

The project is located in Rue de Madeleine in the center of Brussels. De groundfloor is a former art gallery. The space was remodelled to sell baked goods.   The large showcase window from the previous gallery lends itself well to displaying the baked goods in the store. It entices people to enter and inquire. Once inside a large countertop fills the space. Along the sides of the space there is seating. Previously used spaces create oppurtunities to create sitting corners.   The project is a collaboration of Studio toto and product designer and developer Jasper Aelvoet, who designed the interior of the store.   Fase :             Finished Year :             &... More

The project is located in the commune of Oppuurs. The house is part of a series of four equal houses of the 90's. The house is semi-open. Characteristic of the house is the high roof volume, which today is only used as 'attic space'.  Today the ground and second floor are used by the residents. The high, generous roof structure creates the opportunity to include the current attic space with the rest of the house. Removing the existing staircase that currently connects the ground and first floor is a first step in this. By providing a smooth, comfortable connection between the ground floor and first floor on the one hand, and the first floor and second floor on the other, the attic is physically and visually included with the rest of t... More