Natural daylight

In a working class neigbourhood of Ghent, against the backdrop of nearby blocks of high-rise flats, Robbrecht en Daem converted an existing timber yard into new architectural studios. Filip Dujardin The roof of the shed, built by the wood construction company De Coene in the early seventies, was partially dismantled. What used to be the work floor has become an outdoor space that accommodates an arboretum fringed with wild grasses, a swimming pool, bicycle parking and a large open area for performances and exhibitions. It is a ‘playground’ for artist friends, for partying or resting. Described as a ‘modern “ruin”’ (by Dieter De Clercq, 2010), this open area is ‘a coarse filter between the offi... More

In the best museums and galleries one finds one's way through a series of rooms, where the artefacts are carefully lit and set off by calm backgrounds. A degree of repetition helps navigation, some variation helps orientation. Filip Dujardin The proposals for the Whitechapel Art Gallery are bold in their restraint (someone commented: 'where’s the architecture?') and seize a simple but powerful opportunity: lower and upper floors are configured as circuits of rooms, with the stylistically different but volumetrically similar existing galleries linked up by smaller, more domestically scaled gallery spaces. The subtle rhythms and contrasts of the rooms form the backdrop to the wide variety of work on display (historic and contempor... More

In the summer of 2013 Robbrecht en Daem architecten realizes a temporary pavilion based on a competition design by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe from 1930. The design, a clubhouse for a golf course in the gently rolling countryside around the former industrial city of Krefeld, Germany, was never built at the time it was designed. Christiane Lange, art historian and curator for ProjektMIK, invited Robbrecht en Daem architecten to design an objet d'architecture on the basis of the unpublished historical sketches of the project that were found in the Mies van der Rohe Archive (MoMA) in New York. Thomas Hick Thomas Hick The temporary installation resulting from this commission was open for viewing from 26 May to 27 October 2013 at the ori... More

The conservation project for the Book Tower aims at restoring the historical site of the University Library, situated in the lively quartier Latin of Ghent, meanwhile at transforming it into a library for the 21st Century. The design unites the ambitions of the University to respectfully repair the monumental site to its original condition, but also to render it a contemporary house for a great diversity of users and for the valuable own collection of the institute. Kristien Daem The Ghent University Library is internationally renowned for its ‘heritage collection’ of manuscripts, books, coins, curiosa, newspapers and magazines. The study into the conservation project revealed that the conservation of these precious object... More

When our clients purchased the apartment, it required a substantial renovation to suit their functional needs and accommodate their growing family. Their vision was clear: they wanted an open, flowing space while preserving the original architectural details that defined the apartment’s character. To maximize the space, we positioned the kitchen within a niche that naturally connected to the living areas, creating a loft-like arrangement. We thoughtfully wrapped the kitchen around an awkwardly placed riser volume, carving out private areas within the larger open living spaces. Throughout the project, we carefully restored and preserved many of the apartment’s original features, which were important to both our clients and us.... More

Functional stratificationThe various facilities are no longer spread out, but linked together and interwoven between the departments for outpatient care and for diagnostics, the ICU and the operating theatre. This encourages cooperation and knowledge exchange. The facilities are organised so that the outpatient facilities and emergency room are located downstairs in the most dynamic environment, whereas the nursing rooms enjoy the tranquillity of the upper floors.Natural light and orientationThe public area offers structure and an overview. The atrium provides an orientation point as well as natural light to the building facades, even in the areas located at the lowest levels. In the outpatient facilities and the nursing ward, the waiting r... More

Buddhanimit Temple, located in a rural community in Udon Thani, Thailand, is a temple school that provides free education for families who are unable to afford public education. Due to increasing number of students enrolled as novice monks, an extension dormitory building is required. The original brief of the project calls for a two-storey dormitory building under a donated 6 million baht (EUR.154,000) budget. After thorough site inspections and workshops with monks and novices, the architects proposed an economical scheme to renovate an existing abandoned classroom building on site into a dormitory. This leaves enough money to provide additional library and washroom for the novice monks. Novice Living Quarters intends to pr... More

The light building elements from Rodeca glaze a warehouse in Oberhausen. In Oberhausen an extension to an existing warehouse and logistics building for the Gude GmbH was created. Light-transmissive and coloured facade panels from Rodeca GmbH give the hall a special appearance both inside and outside. Above all, the appearance of the material contributes to a strong architectural appeal of the building.The polycarbonate panels were customized in their colour scheme. With their multi-layered structure, they also take over the function of thermal insulation. This has a positive effect on the energy balance of the building. With regard to the use of the hall, the panels have other useful characteristics: Among other things, they protect the sen... More

An extensive ground floor house uses the limits of a large plot in Almere. Outside emphasized by a solid wall. Inside a surprising variety of open spaces created by a structure of columns and a shed roof. The house is designed according to the client`s wishes with related qualities introduced by the architect. The most prominent example is the wish to have only a ground level, combined with the quality of a shed roof for enough daylight. This characteristic is consistent throughout the building creating unique spaces. The programme is optimized underneath the wooden structure. There are three levels of entering the house: passing the solid wall, underneath the roof, and finally through a door. Openings in the wall are strategically p... More