Flanders. A hidden house in the heart of a historical town

Steven Vandenborre Architects renovated a house within an existing courtyard in the center of Ghent. The area is surrounded by university buildings, old towers, a Cathedral and the famous ‘Boekentoren’ of Henry Vandevelde. The owners wanted to build a house full of glass openings to have an open view on the garden.

The architects created a structure with a grid of wooden columns and large glass surfaces. The composition of the vertical and horizontal slabs gives the building a calm character, while the concrete terrace structure (as an extension of the interior) communicates with the different levels in the old garden and integrated the building with the environment. All the materials like steel, wood, glass have been lifted over the high, existing building.

By using different levels and heights, the spaces on the first floor have different characters. The kitchen is conceived as a large multifunctional space; the living room and dining corner, with integrated benches, are developed around a central fire place. The intimate media room is located in a former bunker volume. The combination of materials such as oak, wooden floors, carpet, tadelakt plaster, former cemented bricks all contribute to the warm feeling of the interiors. The glazed bedrooms and bathrooms are situated on the second floor and are connected with a central closet room with captivating views on the garden and roofgardens.