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GALENUS - STUDENTHOUSING
BrugesLiving Around a Shared Courtyard
The design for the site between Koning Albert I-laan and Rijselstraat in Bruges is based on a clear urban planning concept: creating a central courtyard that serves as a connecting and revitalizing element. This communal courtyard forms the heart of the project and structures the various building volumes around it. It not only physically connects the two streets but also introduces a high-quality communal space that combines social interaction, tranquility, and ecology. The central axis serves as a blue-green space that both supports residents’ daily use and contributes to water management and biodiversity.
In this way, the design seeks not merely to create buildings, but to form a small, integrated urban space. Throughout the project, a balance is sought between density and quality of life. The choice to increase density in combination with a shared outdoor space makes it possible to create room for social interaction and relaxation within an urban context.
Project information
| Architect |
Architect
Markland (member of LinkLab)
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Architectural Design
The architectural interpretation of this concept is achieved through a clear differentiation in scale and character between the two street-facing sides. Along Koning Albert I-laan, a larger-scale building volume is chosen, divided into four staggered and nuanced facade sections that follow the urban rhythm and soften the break in scale. This side primarily houses student rooms, organized into compact units around communal living spaces. The facades are constructed from nuanced masonry in various shades and detailing, causing the building to appear as a series of cohesive yet individually distinct volumes.
On Rijselstraat, the project aligns with the character of the existing buildings. The street facade is divided into five segments, each with its own masonry rhythm, window composition, and use of materials. In addition to student rooms, the project will also include a caretaker’s residence, studio apartments, retail spaces, and office spaces. These functions are made architecturally distinct through subtle differences in volume, height, and facade finishes. This creates a vibrant yet well-integrated street front that blends seamlessly into the existing urban fabric.
Transition to the courtyard
The connecting building volume between the two street sides contains only student rooms and forms a transition between the public atmosphere of the streets and the more private atmosphere of the courtyard. The facade of this volume is finished in gray-green masonry, a subtle reference to the green context surrounding it. On this side, the building features a simple and repetitive window arrangement, which brings a sense of calm and order to the interior space. The lower level contains a semi-underground basement, in which bicycle and car parking spaces are integrated without disrupting the open character of the garden.
