Mixture of styles in the centre of Ghent

Space is a big problem in today’s architecture. Customers have their own ideas, but it is difficult to put them in practice without the help of a specialized designer. The next construction is an example about how to make a nice living place in a small place. The space the designers are about to use is a small plot in the central of Ghent, Belgium.

The outside architecture is specific to Belgian building, with tall slim houses. The customer wanted to create a living space which is bonded to his old parent house. The new building should gather a home for himself and a place to rent. The design team built on the ground floor an atelier which is connected by the owner’s house by a small courtyard. The main problem of the architects was the limited surface. To gain more space, the designers placed the stairs into the living space. For gaining more space, the architects covered the walls with thick 2mm PVC-films.

The façade doesn’t keep the original design of the old house. The new modern design is putt near the old traditional one, offering a strong contrast. Either the design, the color or the materials fit. The costs of this 89 sqm new building were about 137,667 Euro. The project was finished in 2011 by Dierendonck Blancke Architecten, the design team formed by Alexander Dierendonck, Isabelle Blancke and Pieter Mouton and engineering Arthur De Roover. The mixture of tradition and modern architectures gives  new wave to the Belgian street.{found on archdaily and pics by Filip}.