Innovative Architectural Design Portfolio

Halleluia

The Belgian town of Halle has had a pilgrimage tradition for centuries. Soon, it will once again be a place where pilgrims are welcomed and can stay. We were involved from the inception of the project when two buildings opposite the basilica of St Martin became available for sale. This is where, in 1404, Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, spent his last days. Here, Halleluia has found its perfect dwelling.

Halleluia aims at the Marian pilgrims, the Compostela pilgrims and particularly at the pilgrim in each of us. It wants to be a place where you can linger in the presence of Our Lady, where you can meet fellow pilgrims and be inspired to find your unique purpose in life. Halleluia wants to help you to become who you are and set the world on fire.

In Halleluia there will be programs for individual pilgrims and for organizations. The building will have living areas, an eatery, a grotto, seven guest rooms, a library and a chapel. With a public gallery the project blends into the city. The heart of Halleluia is the serenity garden, which will be accessible to everyone. Our design draws inspiration from the Book of Revelation and Song of Solomon of the Bible. The architecture is magical, lofty, sheltering and elegant, inspired by Our Lady.

Client: Halleluia

Status: building permit

Timing: 2020 – 2026

Size: 1400 sqm

Vision: Servaas Bosch

Design and fabrication partner: Formateria

Gardenist: Jan Minne

Structural Engineer: Bollinger+Grohmann

MEP Engineer: Henk Pijpaert engineers

Acoustical Engineer: Kahle Acoustics

Building physics: Gevelinzicht

Visuals: Weissimages

Photography: Johnny Umans

Halleluia

Chaussée d’Enghien

Renovation and extension of a house from 1856 with a rich history, including its use as a cheese factory and town hall, into a residence and office. In our design, the valuable elements of the existing house, such as plaster moldings and wooden beams, are contrasted with equally elegant new elements.

Client: private

Status: built

Timing: 2011-2018

Size: 360 sqm

Photography: Johnny Umans

Chaussée d’Enghien

Equitone Icons

In the spring of 2018, Equitone, a manufacturer of facade materials, commissioned us to visually represent their range of materials. We designed an installation of six icons or small monuments that give each of the six textures in the Equitone range a distinct architectural presence.

Each icon emphasizes the unique character of its texture, both in form and detailing. The icons allude to well known iconic buildings but also propose new challenging forms. We positioned them on the horizon of the elevated landscape around the boat lift of Strépy, Belgium, as follies in the landscape. With the installation, we aim to inspire architects to make bold designs and explore new ways of detailing. The installation was captured in great detail by architectural photographer Frederik Vercruysse.

Client: Equitone

Status: built

Timing: 2018

Photography: Frederik Vercruysse, Initials LA

Equitone Icons

Drève de la Chevalerie

In this interior renovation of a villa we merged two existing rooms into a new, spacious kitchen. In our projects, we consistently seek unique materials that seem as if they were crafted for the client and the space. Here, we applied African walnut, Fior di Bosco natural stone, and contrasting accents in black steel.

Client: private

Status: built

Timing: 2020

Photography: Johnny Umans

Drève de la Chevalerie

Vesting

Vesting is the repurposing of an old warehouse, two row houses, and a large garden in the center of Halle. A new passage allows everyone to experience the garden from the street. The passage is covered by a floating loft apartment, while the warehouse gets repurposed as restaurant and office space. We designed the garden to be a small public courtyard within a park setting. Vesting encompasses all the qualities of a contemporary urban redevelopment: heritage preservation, a mix of programs, and generous green space.

Client: private

Status: design

Size: 700 sqm

Visuals: Weissimages

Photography: Johnny Umans

Vesting

Kattebroekstraat

This unique plot is located near Brussels, surrounded by a forest, and accessible via a private road. The existing villa, built in 1918, has a certain allure, but its layout is unfavorable, lacking essential living qualities. Moreover, the house is situated on a nonconforming lot in a vulnerable natural area subject to very strict urban regulations. Within this challenging context, we worked on a design that expands the house, optimizes its layout, and gives it a distinct architectural presence. Despite the slim chances of success, we were able to obtain a building permit.

The history of the site as a limestone quarry and the facades of the existing house inspired our design for the renovation. We found a solution to the challenge of integrating the house into its valuable context. By subtracting volume in one place and adding it elsewhere, we optimized the layout while complying with the rules. We replicate the existing brickwork pattern as a tribute to the 1918 house, using ornamental stone banding once again to detail the facades and provide subtle shading. The stone banding, serving as sills, roof edges, and window frames, is built in limestone, adding refinement reminiscent of ornaments on the facades of historical buildings.

Client: private

Size: 340 sqm

Structural Engineer: Bollinger+Grohmann

Visuals: Weissimages

Photography: Johnny Umans

Kattebroekstraat

Avenue du Gui

Refurbishment of a villa in Uccle that was originally designed by Fernand Steppé & Eugène Delatte in
1958.

Client: private
Status: built
Timing: 2019-2020

Photography: Johnny Umans

Avenue du Gui

Palace of Justice

In 2010, the Belgian Buildings Agency, in collaboration with the Federal Justice Department, organized a competition on the future of the Brussels Palace of Justice. They proposed two scenarios: the preservation and partial transformation, or the complete transformation of the iconic Brussels courthouse. We participated in the first scenario and were awarded the first prize.

The base of the Palace of Justice contains various spaces at the lower city level that have never been used. They had been filled and closed off during the foundation works in the 19th century. In our proposal, we open up, repurpose those spaces, and create a series of new connections between the disconnected lower and upper parts of the city through the base of the courthouse. Original connections from the city fabric are restored, the inner courtyards are reclaimed as outdoor spaces, and a universe of spaces is made available for new programs. The upper structure continues to serve as a courthouse, and the dome is open to the public.

Client: Belgian Buildings Agency and Federal Justice Department

Status: 1st prize

Timing: 2010

Team: EXPO68, T.O.P. Office, Jos Vandenbreeden

Palace of Justice

Brusselsesteenweg

Like many cities, Halle’s historic center has numerous narrow buildings, often old, small row houses, or larger houses that have been divided over the course of history. From the beginning, the client expressed that with this project, they wanted to prove that one can live spaciously in a narrow row house. We aimed to contribute to the revaluation of this specific building type.

A common issue in narrow row houses are cramped spaces and dark areas in the core of the house. In our design, we alternated high and low spaces, small and large rooms, bringing light to both sides of the living room. The client wished to be shielded from the hustle and bustle but also be connected to the city. We designed a small house with large rooms, plenty of daylight and access from both the street and garden sides. Daylight enters the heart of the house through a void and a series of skylights. A sculptural stair and passage connect the living area to the bedrooms.

The project was recognized in 2012 by the City of Halle with the Prize for Urban Beautification as an ‘exemplary approach to narrow townhouses’. In 2013, we received the award for daylight entry at the Belgian Architecture Awards and were nominated for the Provincial Architecture Prize of Flemish Brabant.

Client: private

Status: built

Timing: 2009 – 2012

Size: 120 sqm

In collaboration with Stijn Boon
Structural Engineer: UTIL Struktuurstudies

Photography: Lander Loeckx, Eternit – Marcel Van Coile, Buitengewoon Betaalbaar Bouwen – At Home Publishers

Brusselsesteenweg

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Halleluia

In Halleluia there will be programs for individual pilgrims and for organizations. The building will have living areas, an eatery, a grotto, seven guest rooms, a library and a chapel. With a public gallery the project blends into the city. The heart of Halleluia is the dream garden, which will be accessible to everyone. Our design draws inspiration from the Book of Revelation and Song of Solomon of the Bible. The architecture is magical, lofty, sheltering and elegant, inspired by Our Lady.

Client: Halleluia

Status: building permit

Timing: 2020 – 2026

Size: 1400 sqm

Vision: Servaas Bosch

Design and fabrication partner: Formateria

Gardenist: Jan Minne

Structural Engineer: Bollinger+Grohmann

MEP Engineer: Henk Pijpaert engineers

Acoustical Engineer: Kahle Acoustics

Building physics: Gevelinzicht

Visuals: Weissimages