Rearranging Circulation

The house is located in a street where terraced houses have the same frontage, as well as the same layout. A narrow and dark entrance led the residents to the stairwell, to which the living areas were linked. The kitchen and technical room were in a dilapidated extension. Despite the south-facing garden, little light was one of the drawbacks of the house; moreover, because of the many lowered ceilings, the rooms felt confining and a lot of space was used up for circulation, and the stairwell.

During the renovation, a lot of attention was paid to preserving the existing structures. The characteristic existing woodwork above the suspended ceilings has been left visible, and the structural brick walls add more texture to the house. The existing layout was virtually preserved, but by changing the circulation newly functional spaces can be used for living and / or storage. All attention was focused on making unusable spaces usable and livable again.

The new extension has a sloping volume that follows the line of the plot and functions as an urban interweaving between adjacent properties. The sitting area and dining area were housed in the lowest level so that the residents are immersed in the atmosphere of the garden. The transparent extension, consisting of 2 levels with large windows, was provided with a loft, allowing abundant sunlight and open the views of the garden. While the loft opens the house upwards, it also offers a beautiful view for the various rooms.

Inside, existing wooden beams and the existing brick walls provide a nice contrast between the light wooden construction of the extension. A tiled floor provides an additional contrast between old and new. Throughout the house, sturdy materials are combined with soft, light ones: For example, the kitchen is clad in green, moisture resistant MDF, in combination with a stainless-steel worktop. The slats add texture and play with light.

On the way to the first floor, there is an office that overlooks the loft and the garden; the master bedroom enjoys the same advantages. The bathroom / dressing was linked to the master bedroom, which includes bathroom cabinet, in order to minimize unusable corners and circulation.

The second floor, the attic, has been completely opened up and divided with a glass partition that is equipped with 3 sliding doors. The doors give out to an extra bathroom and a multipurpose room that is designed to be divided into 2 children’s bedrooms.

The atmosphere and design of the garden is inspired by a journey of the residents to “Termas Geometricas” in Chile, where peace and nature prevail.

mcdm atelier