Concrete house around a central courtyard

Belgium

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Concrete house around a central courtyard

Belgium

Firm

CLAUWERS & SIMON architectes

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2016

An honest confrontation with the character of it’s materials has been the main thread in the design of this Belgian casted concrete house. A home that matures with time.

Exterior, the concrete is rough but at the same time the volume is still elegant due to a slightly sloping roof. Vertical wooden cladding (ash thermowood) alternates with the concrete walls contributing to a warmer character and scaling of the volume. Additionally the casted concrete leaves a distinctive signature by the use of a horizontal planked concrete formwork.

Guided by the wooden planks we come to a covered entrance. Next to the front door an additional acces to the patio is also hidden in the wooden part of the facade.

The exterior finish is rough, in contrast the interior is designed more soft and smooth. The organization of the house is circularly arranged around a central courtyard, to bring in additional light, making a visual connection to the exterior brutal concrete. It’s an introverted plan that opens the kitchen and dining room generously towards the garden. Large white curtains almost bring a mediterranean atmosphere to the house. The house opens at the backside to the garden, the concrete literally embraces the garden. Thanks to the client, whose only demand was to have no visible supporting structure at the backside of their house, the large window opening of 840cm doesn’t have any concrete column.

Through generous light from both sides in the kitchen it was possible to use dark tinged ash thermowood for the kitchen cupboards and island.

A sliding door, also in dark tinged ash thermowood, divides the living room from a study, creating a space for privacy in the open-plan ground floor.

Round window frames bring in light from the courtyard into the staircase. Upstairs

The first floor gives room to 3 bedrooms and a guest room, sharing a stylish bathroom with granito tiles on the floor and part of the walls.