VLE -
A house for R. and J.
The starting point for this house was Jan and Régine’s search for a refuge from the hectic city life of Antwerp. A plot on the edge of the Witte Burg nature reserve proved to be the ideal location for this ambition.
The site was originally an untouched dune landscape, covered with characteristic vegetation. The dune runs diagonally across the plot, from the lower right to the upper left along the street edge. From the outset, it was clear to the design team that this natural feature had to be preserved, and that the house should become part of it. The project is therefore grounded in the relationship between dwelling and nature.
The organisation of both floors follows the same clear principle. A corridor along the rear façade acts as a longitudinal axis, connecting the bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, dining room and living room.
On the ground floor, all spaces open onto a partially embedded terrace; on the first floor, the living areas extend towards a large south-facing terrace overlooking the garden and the dune landscape of the adjacent nature reserve. This consistent spatial logic results in a balanced and legible experience throughout the house.
To limit the overall height of the building, the house was embedded into the dune. The existing profile of the terrain determined the stacking of the two floors, following the natural slope. As a result, the full height of the building is only visible on the east façade.
The house is composed of two volumes, separated by an internal street that also serves as a garage. In addition to creating a home for themselves, Jan and Régine wanted to open up the house to their children. A separate residence on the ground floor allows them to stay independently whenever needed.
Being partially embedded, the house reveals itself gradually. A walk through the garden and around the building is the only way to fully grasp how the two stacked volumes relate to one another and to their surroundings. The entrance is located on the side of the house, where the internal street provides access to the front doors of both the ground and first floor. The remaining openings are carefully calibrated perforations, bringing in morning and evening light while offering views and orientation at the end of each corridor.
The rear façade is largely closed, with a single, precisely positioned window overlooking the more structured part of the garden and the garden shed at the back of the plot. From this perspective, the house reads as a monolithic object, half embedded in the landscape, mediating between garden, dune and building. In contrast, the south-facing front façade opens up completely towards the surrounding dune landscape.
A sense of peace and balance is reinforced by the consistent and unambiguous use of materials. The façades are composed exclusively of prefabricated concrete elements and glass. White sun-shading devices on the south façade, sliding between the concrete beams, give the front elevation a subtle, ever-changing character.
The concrete beams, which serve both a structural and spatial role, remain visible on the interior. As on the exterior, a restrained material palette was chosen to create a balanced and elegant interior — a neutral canvas for the inhabitants.
The living areas feature polished concrete floors, while the bedrooms are finished with custom-made wooden panels. All sanitary spaces are fitted with white quartz flooring. Fixed furniture is executed in oak veneer, which, together with the lime plaster used on walls and ceilings, softens and balances the presence of concrete in the façades, floors and beams. A selective use of stainless steel and glass for sliding doors, kitchen worktops, lighting fixtures and taps adds precision and refinement to the interior.
Location
completion
client
program
architecture
interior architecture
photographs
completion
client
program
architecture
interior architecture
photographs
Oost-Duinkerke
(BE)
2017
Private
Freestanding house in the dunes
Paul ibens i.c.w. i.s.m.architecten
Luis Dìaz Dìaz
2017
Private
Freestanding house in the dunes
Paul ibens i.c.w. i.s.m.architecten
Paul ibens i.c.w.i.s.m.architecten
Luis Dìaz Dìaz