dwelling and location | Yannick Macken

I was inspired by the surrounding built environment and the contrast of these industrial buildings with the grassy landscape in the area. I wanted to keep the original ‘polder’-character by preserving and adding fragments of ditches. These ditches indicate the border between private and public area’s. Every property is surrounded by trees to block the view from neighboring properties and trespassers. The trees also guide the main axis that divides the plan into two area’s. An art route is located along the axis, in such a way that it doesn't cross the roads that give entrance to the properties.

The industrial style of the facade-design is based upon surrounding industrial architecture. This white facade is contrasted by wooden elements, located inside the house. The volume is ‘torn apart’ by separating the atelier from the living space. This way it reveals its wooden insides an provides a shelter for cars. The connecting element contains the bed- and bathrooms. This element is very self-contained but opens up on the inside. The full glory of it can be experienced when looking at it from the living space, for it is not connected to the two load-bearing walls but relies solely on his own construction. Two stairways connect the atelier and living area with the first floor. The living space, oriented on the south, and the atelier, oriented on the north, are only separated from the terrace by large curtain-walls of glass. This way they interact with the garden in a very natural fashion.