05
PARK DWELLING V&S
Beveren-LeieCompact BEN house in a park garden
The client presented us with the challenge of designing a BEN house in a beautiful wild garden adjacent to a remodeled tree farm in Beveren Leie. The landscape is also quite a bit lower than the street level.
To minimize the impact on the green surroundings, we ingeniously arranged the residential wish within a very compact square footprint of twelve by twelve meters. By making grateful use of the existing height difference and a split-level organization, it became possible to organize the house within the self-imposed outlines with minimal impact on the garden.
The square ground plan is built around a cruciform circulation; the living spaces are located on the four sides of the plan, which allows each space to organize a specific relationship with the surrounding garden. For each space, well thought-out windows provide framed views of the garden.
The volumetrics of the house deviate from the regulations. By placing the ridge line diagonally, the image of front, side and back is broken and all sides become equally important in raltion to the garden. To further enhance integration into the green environment, the roof surfaces are finished with a green roof. On the south, a roof terrace is provided with a magnificent perspective of the wild park garden.
The house is realized in a wild park garden with a strong individuality. Vertical masonry is used to give the balled home an equally strong character. The characterful brick is brutally processed with a rough, dark and wide joint. The garden may eventually help define the appearance of the facade masonry.
Project information
| Project |
Project
BEN house in a park garden |
|---|---|
| Program |
Program Construction of a single-family house |
| Location |
Location
St Jansstraat, 8791 Beveren-Leie |
| Builder |
Builder
Private client |
| LINK LAB MEMBERS |
LINK LAB MEMBERS
US
|
| Land area |
Land area
956 m² |
| Land intake |
Land intake
144 m² |
| status |
status
2018-2021 |
Site
The 956 m² plot is located along St. John's Street and borders Kleine Heerweg. The southern plot boundary connects to an orchard and is surrounded by an existing tree structure and hedges.
The property will be planted in a wild park garden with strong individuality. The existing greenery is the starting point of the design. The central ambition was to preserve the trees and minimize paving.
The site slopes down from the street, which determines the spatial organization.
Layout
The house is compactly planted within the building zone, but deliberately set back two meters from the maximum permitted contour. This preserves valuable trees on the street side and respects the green streetscape.
The main entrance is located on Sint-Jansstraat and is reached via a slender bridge that responds to the difference in height. The parking spaces and carport are located on Kleine Heerweg, organizing circulation logically along one side of the plot.
By cleverly exploiting the relief, the basement becomes partially visible without disturbing the compactness of the main volume.
Interior
The interior space is organized around a central cruciform circulation that structures the house. From this center point, the living spaces unfold to four sides, each with its own relationship to the garden. The split-level construction creates subtle level differences and creates a natural hierarchy between entrance, living space and kitchen.
The kitchen and dining area are slightly lower and benefit from greater headroom, maximizing the experience of light and space. The sitting area is slightly elevated and overlooks the greenery. Large window openings frame carefully chosen perspectives and bring the park garden deep into the interior.
The material palette matches the sober architecture. Concrete and wood define the atmosphere: robust and tactile, but at the same time warm and refined.
Architectural choices
The architecture is understated and allows the landscape to take precedence. The material palette is limited to concrete and wood, creating a calm and timeless look.
The vertical masonry is given a robust finish with a wide, dark joint, giving the volume character without dominating. The green roof enhances integration into the park garden and contributes to the home's sustainable ambitions.
The house achieves an E-level of E14 and combines a geothermal heat pump, solar panels, ventilation system D and maximum rainwater recovery of 20,000 liters.
