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PANORAMA HOUSE D&G
Sint-Eloois-WinkelLiving in dialogue with the landscape
The existing house and outbuildings on Moorseelsestraat were part of a compact cluster in an agricultural area. Although the house was still structurally sound, it no longer met contemporary living and energy standards. Therefore, a complete reconstruction was chosen, with respect for the original implantation.
More than three-quarters of the new volumes overlap with the existing buildings, thus maintaining continuity in the landscape. At the same time, the house is placed slightly deeper on the plot, so that it fits better with the building line of the surrounding buildings.
The design starts from the qualities of the site: open views to the west, a slightly elevated middle part of the site and a natural buffer from the street. These features are not eliminated, but rather just enhanced.
The house and outbuilding are conceived as two low, horizontal volumes with flat roofs. They nestle into the landscape and open up to the maximum extent to the garden and open fields. A more closed and sheltered atmosphere is created on the street side, with a patio and a greened-in garden wall providing privacy and acoustic buffering.
Living spaces are oriented to the south and west, with wide expanses of glass bringing in the landscape. Overhangs and canopies provide shading and a clear architectural line.
Around the home, there is a strong commitment to softening and biodiversity. Existing paving will be reduced and executed in permeable materials. A new wadi, wide wooded banks and a varied planting with native species reinforce the agricultural character of the site.
Project information
| Project |
Project
Reconstruction of zoned house with outbuilding |
|---|---|
| Program |
Program Single-family house with 3 bedrooms, outbuilding with garage, storage room, leisure room and cellar; swimming pool and terraces |
| Location |
Location
Moorseelsestraat 22, 8880 Sint-Eloois-Winkel |
| Builder |
Builder
Peter Desmedt - Liesbeth Goderis |
| LINK LAB MEMBERS |
LINK LAB MEMBERS
US
|
| Gross surface area |
Gross surface area
Dwelling house: ±285 m² - Outbuilding: ±247 m² |
| STATUS |
STATUS
Permitted 2026 |
Site
Along the Moorseelsestraat, in the open landscape of Sint-Eloois-Winkel, a deep plot lies between scattered detached buildings and vast meadows. Its proximity to the E403 makes the site at once visible and vulnerable: open to the west, but exposed to noise and wind.
The existing buildings - a house with adjacent barn volumes - formed one compact cluster on the site. The surrounding landscape is flat, agricultural and little sheltered. Solitary trees and wooded borders provide rhythm and scale in the large field.
The reconstruction is based on this landscape logic: not more building, but clearer organization.
Concept
Two horizontal volumes form an ensemble around a sheltered patio. The house opens to the west and south to the maximum extent, while to the north and the street side it is more closed. This creates a gradation from public to private.
The garden wall on the street side does not function as a hard barrier, but as an integrated architectural element. In combination with plantings, it forms a green filter that guarantees privacy and tranquility without losing the open character of the surroundings.
Layout
The new house (ca. 285 m²) and outbuilding (ca. 247 m²) will be implanted in almost the same location as the existing volumes. At least 75% of the original footprint will be retained, in accordance with regulations for zoned dwellings.
The cluster will be retained, but refined and rearranged into two legible volumes around a sheltered outdoor space.
The house slides back slightly from the street. This creates space for a green front garden and better connects the volume to the streetscape. The subtle difference in height between plot and street level is exploited to create privacy without hard fences.
Where the street side remains rather closed, the whole opens up to the west and south. The living spaces focus on the landscape and evening light. A patio on the east side forms a quiet outdoor room that filters out traffic and the highway.
Architectural choices
The architecture is sober and powerful. Both volumes are low and horizontal, with a sleek flat roof and a distinct cornice.
The house is executed in light gray smooth concrete panels, combined with brown-gray aluminum exterior joinery. Vertical articulation in the concrete panels returns in the joinery, creating a subtle rhythm in the facades
Overhangs, canopies and fine zinc eaves refine the overall look. The materialization is robust and honest, but with contemporary detailing that gives the project a quiet, timeless look.
