House Aartrijke

Aartrijke, Belgium

Photo © Filip Dujardin

Architects: atelier tom vanhee

Location: Aartrijke, Belgium
Year: 2016

The former farmhouse is situated in an agricultural area. The typology of the existing building was used in a contemporary way to enlarge the dwelling. We added two new volumes with a pitched roof connected with the existing volume. Two chimney shaped skylights create light and a view on to the first floor. A third chimney houses the air outlet of the heat pump. Old and new collaborate together, while both remain clearly visible.

The new volumes are finished in wood. The old brick exterior is felt inside when entering the house. The new stairs are a reminder of the pre-existing mouldering stair that was removed. The buttresses and strips of brick in the floor will show the former layout of the barn. The double height in the dwelling makes the living areas more spacious. A new pre-weathered zinc roof connects the buildings into a whole. In addition to the replacement of the old joinery with new windows, the old volume opens up to the landscape on the rear side. Simple uniform windows according to the golden ratio characterize the construction.

The former building contains the dining room and sitting room, the kitchen, a storage room and toilet, four large bedrooms and two bathrooms. The extension accommodates the entrance hall, circulation spaces, storage space, technical facilities and a garage.

Both the former building and the new buildings are properly insulated (retaining the exterior brick wall) to create a low energy house. The house is mainly heated by an air-water heat pump with low temperature floor heating and radiators. Photovoltaic panels supply most of the electricity. All details are to designed and implemented airtight.