Patio House | Marc Melissen

The local Government has given out nine plots on one of the last vacant lots in Vinex-location Reeshof. The plots measure approximately 14 x 14 metres and benefit from a communal garden maintained by the municipality. A solution for the outdoor space had to be found within the plot boundaries. On the other hand, the houses are detached with quite a bit of space between them.

As a result of the open setting, a lot of attention has been paid to privacy. Most of the windows in the external walls are narrow, allowing light to enter but making it difficult for those outside to look in. Moreover, the windows in the bathrooms and bedrooms are located in high positions. In addition, the living room has a low horizontal window with a view of the communal garden. The patio is screened with a wooden wall on one side. The other sides are sufficiently open to allow plenty of light in, while providing views of the house interior.

Another point to consider was sound, as the plot is located close to a busy road. To minimise noise in the kitchen, patio and open plan living and dining room, the garage, bathroom and bedrooms are used as a buffer. This has the added advantage that the living areas have direct access to the communal gardens and main entry.

In their previous house, the clients had a living room with a large height. They wanted to replicate that spaciousness in this house, so some parts of the combined living and dining room have a height of 3.2 metres. The raised volumes protrude 15 cm from the façades and are accentuated on the inside with different shades of grey.

At the entrance, recesses have been made for the front and rear doors, providing shelter from bad weather, while there is a shelter for storing rubbish bins. As in the patio, the tile floor runs from the inside out.

Different materials and colours have been used to provide attractive visual contrasts. The base is made of hand-made brick with a white mineral paint and a 2 cm recessed plinth treated with black mineral paint. The protruding volumes are constructed with smooth black extruded bricks. The recessed parts are made with oiltreated wooden slats.

All black aluminium frames are concealed behind the bricks, except those around the patio. The window sills and roof trims have the same colour as the façade, creating a pleasing uniformity. The front, back and garage doors are included in the wooden façade. Underneath the glass doors and wooden façade is a threshold made of hard stone, which is always flush with the masonry.