House Machelen

Machelen, Belgium

Photo © Tim Van De Velde

Drawing © Compagnie O. Architects

Single Houses

Architects: Compagnie O. Architects

Year: 2016

This house is built on a plot located in an outlying area, behind a first row of typical Flemish landhouses (“fermettes”). An exceptional starting position: there are no direct neighbours – splendid isolation – and the building is barely subject to urban regulations.
So how to design a house that can extract the maximum from its surroundings?
This question leads to the scenic, basic vision of a ‘plan libre’: a dwelling that fits between a floor and a ceiling, separated by a grid of concrete columns.
All extra architectonic elements (walls, windows, …) are ‘free’, not bearing. The concept allows itself to create a very open plan with flowing spaces, hence fascinating views through the house and its surroundings.
This home is a mini (interior) landscape in itself: a little coral reef, a rough concrete structure to inhabit whether by human or (later on) by nature.
The design of the facades is a direct result of the functions that lie behind it; they frame the surrounding landscape as pleases the residents. Therefore, there is no real front or back facade – all four are differently, influenced by nearby natural elements.