The Minimalist House Roces, The Winner of the Residential Building of the Year Award

As part of this year’s London Design Festival, among all the events, there was also the Residential Building of the Year Award that was received by Bruges-based design studio Govaert & Vanhoutte Architects. The studio designed House Roces, a minimalist steel and glass structure located in Belgium.The residence was designed perpendicular to the street and it’s shaped like a minimalist, elongated volume.

Residential building of the year4

The shape of the building contrasts with the trees and the tall surrounding buildings and this makes it stand out even more. This steel and glass volume is organized in several areas and they all allow panoramic views of the surrounding space. Even though the elongated structure appears to be very close to the ground, it actually has two levels. They both include bedrooms and they are connected by a floating zinc staircase.

Residential building of the year4
Residential building of the year4
Residential building of the year4
Residential building of the year4

The building features large steel window frames throughout and glass walls that cover the entire façade. The interior is a large open volume with several separate areas. Space dividers delimitate the spaces. The glass façade lets in natural light that floods the interior and adds a warm touch to the décor. But the coolness of the glass is extended to the lava rock floors and the concrete terrace. The glass also makes the transition from the interior spaces to the garden or pool area seamless and almost unnoticeable.