01
Maple & Mint
KORTRIJKDiscreet new neighbours in the historic streetscape
The present design relates to that special streetscape in a qualitative way, in terms of scale, architectural elaboration, materialization and destination. The town hall of Plein 13/13A will be restored to its former glory by demolishing the (less qualitative) extensions. The former appurtenances of the school will also be demolished.
A volume will be added to the existing town house – the façade of which will be retained in white ornamental plaster – to accommodate the supporting functions and vertical circulation. In this way, the ornamental ground floor and stairwell can be kept free of major interventions. The town house and extension will be converted into 4 residential units and an office and multifunctional space, together christened ‘Maple’.
The architecture of the two slender and massive new buildings at Plein in Kortrijk is subordinate, without much ornamentation. It forms a neutral canvas for the historical surroundings, taking over elements of it, translated to today.
A varied and vertical percelation was worked out, in terms of dimensions in unity with the existing situation. The application of ‘shutters’ in the slender, vertically oriented facades refers to the shutters that can be found in many historical buildings in the (wider) environment. These contemporary variants provide privacy and shelter from wind and weather, but also create a classic vertical articulation in relation to the storey height. They also determine the simple appearance of the facade.
With the peaceful integration of ‘Maple’ and ‘Mint’ on the site, the north side of this green city park is seeded and further greened. The degree of development will be more than halved, from 63% to 30.7% of the total site, with the inner garden as the new green lung for the city. Greenery will also be applied to the roofs and terraces.
Site
On the project site at Plein 13 and 13A, a stately building from 1822 stands on the left, converted in 1911 from two separate houses into a single townhouse. To the right are unprotected school buildings, once added as an extension to the adjacent Guldensporencollege, which was listed in 2003 as a monument and urban heritage site.
Because part of the protected school buildings – which are not part of the project site – is positioned directly along the street, the streetscape acquires a strongly three-dimensional character that differs from the traditional, continuous residential fabric.
This monumental presence is further reinforced by the interplay between the street-facing volumes and the buildings situated behind them. The left side of the site, by contrast, presents a more typically residential appearance, of which Plein 13 and 13A form a part.
Siting
On the project site at Plein 13 and 13A, a stately building from 1822 stands on the left. In 1911, it was converted from two separate houses into a single townhouse. To the right are unlisted school buildings, originally added as an extension to the adjacent Guldensporencollege, which was designated a protected monument and urban heritage site in 2003.
Because part of the protected school buildings – which are not part of the project site – is positioned directly along the street, the streetscape gains a pronounced three-dimensional character that diverges from the traditional, continuous residential frontage.
This monumental density is further reinforced by the interplay between the street-facing volumes and the buildings situated behind them. The left side of the site has a more typically residential appearance, of which Plein 13 and 13A form a part.
