On Vogelenzang in Ghent, the 19th-century townhouse Voortman, designed in Empire style, borders the street. The right wing of this restored monument will be demolished to make way for two new homes. At the rear is the 200-year-old garden of the Mansion that will serve as a city park. On one of these plots, we are designing a newly constructed house as a corner risalite* that renews and reinforces the profile of the existing Voortman Mansion.

On the ground floor, in addition to a garage and the entrance assembly, there is an office and living space. Since the house is flanked by a double-height dividing wall on the one hand and an unusual Yew on the other, we raise the ceiling height of this space, allowing more daylight to enter. This offset additionally ensures that the ground floor and the bel-étage on which the living areas are located relate to each other without losing their identity and character. The rooms remain sufficiently delineated and defined, but allow daylight to find its way deep into the home. The second floor will house the children’s bedrooms and bathroom.

Half a floor up is the master bedroom just a few steps away from the roof terrace, which is bathing in evening sun. The front and rear facades are both provided with floor-to-ceiling and refined cemented plinths. Above it, the facade is raised in sober rendered masonry. On the front facade, an awning marks the entrance to the house. On the south-oriented rear facade, porte-fenêtres make their appearance. They allow for maximum perception of the city park and bring the house in line with the existing Mansion.

From the qualities present in the immediate environment, a dwelling emerges that is indebted to more traditional elements, archetypes and materials but which stands out for its balanced composition, sophisticated detailing, pure plan conception and integration into the spatial context.

* risalite (Italian, from risalto: projecting part): projecting volume of a facade that extends over the entire height and is sometimes taller.