At the beginning of 2019, Nelissen Steenfabrieken literally put its need to innovate in the spotlight with new state-of-the-art headquarters, including an impressive, eye-catching showroom, on the Kiezelweg in Kesselt, Lanaken. The building represents the triple foundation of the company: innovation, co-creation, and sustainability.
The fourth generation of the Nelissen Steenfabrieken family company means business. By opening this state-of-the-art office building and experimental showroom designed by the Architectengroep PSK and UAU collectiv, Nelissen Steenfabrieken will resolutely take the lead as the forerunner in the brick industry in 2019.
The new building houses digital experimentation rooms for designers, an Experience room with a large curved, 180°-screen, and meeting rooms that can be reserved for project consultations or other meetings. “The renewed site will act as a facilitator for creative people who want to work with us to move the construction sector forward sustainably,” said the directors.
At the edge of a rural town lies a vacant plot, overlooking a small valley where there used to be a battlefield in the 17th Century. the new house tries not to block the views of the passers-by: all walls are placed in the direction of the valley, so that all the views stay unblocked.
At the center of the house is a hole, turned into a patio. the house whirls up like a snake on itself. all floors lead to the next level : there are no inside walls. every space had views throughout the house in a way that everything stays connected.
Materials try to blend the house in its surroundings : often there is a grey fog coming from the valley. the house is built in grey concrete, grey clay stone and old Barnwood. from far away the light grey volume blends, but on its approach the different materials and textures appear.
The Vandermeulen brothers’ ambition to bring a bit of Manhattan and those typical New York burgers to Belgium.
Genuine fast-casual dining where the perfect combination of quality and speed is paramount. The city that never sleeps was a limitless source of inspiration for the design. It was more about making choices and prioritizing what could make Manhattn’s distinct and aspirational feel at home in the Belgian culinary landscape.
The project is divided into two parts, the fisrt one, massive, anchored to the site and materialized by a cubic white volume, and a second one covered of wood, with a lighter visual, is placed on the side of the site to form a long fence as visual protection on the road side. The living spaces are on the valley side, situated slightly higher than the natural ground, completely open on the valley. The tree protect it of overheating in the summer. A long covered “balcony terrace” follow the living spaces by projecting the space towards the view.
All the necessary functions for the life of a couple are found on the ground floor. A guest room and its sanitary space complete the program of this level. A pottery workshop is accessible from the entrance hall and overlooks the whole, like an watchtower, to enjoys a totally unobstructed view.
The Forum building is the heart of the campus. The campus lacked a decisive image towards its surroundings, as a counterpart to Kortrijk Xpo. At the same time, the campus is defined, but not physically closed off from its environment. This results in an approachable and accessible campus for pedestrians. The aim of the development of the site is to increase the accessibility between Xpo and Campus, to expand the dynamics of the school to the street side and to integrate the campus in its surroundings.
In the industrialized port area of the small town of Izegem lies a somewhat odd monument with an artdeco front office and adjacent factory buildings. During the interbellum, for over a decade the “Eperon d’Or” factory received international attention for its luxurious shoe design and production.
After years of neglect, local authorities decide to revitalize the complex by refurbishing it to the national shoe and broom museum.
This art deco pearl stands solely amidst the non-attractive industrialized heavy-duty context.
Tags: Belgium, Izegem Comments Off on Eperon d’Or, National Museum for Shoes & Brooms in Izegem, Belgium by Compagnie-O + Sabine Okkerse + Geert Pauwels
House TP is located in the working-class area in Mechelen. A single woman with green fingers bought there a little house next to the church and asked dmvA to reconstruct it.
The client had the desire to do urban farming, which is not evident in the center of the city. Moreover, the plot was fully built and the backside is oriented north, being in the shade of the house most of the time. A green spot behind the house seemed difficult due to the lack of sunlight. dmvA therefore decided to remove the rear of the building, except for one steel beam. The beam inspired them to add some extra beams and place a greenhouse on top. By making the greenhouse literally float, dmvA found a solution to the lack of light that ensured the patio to stay light and airy. The opening up of the parcel generates a beautiful view from the greenhouse or first floor, with the church as urban décor.
The plot is located in a street characterised by an alternation of linked and detached houses. The area consists mostly of older houses, and their relative positions, unique to each lot, have grown historically. The wide variety of building depths, alternating positions of the facade and volumes is specific for this environment, with no same outline shared by two neighbors. This specific character is a scenic quality that has grown from the existing relief. This also allows for a direct view of the valley, situated in the back. The site has a considerable slope of approximately 20%. The highest part of the site is on the street side, from where the terrain descends towards the valley, called the ‘Lanevallei’. The street side of the plot is northwest-oriented.
Article source: Atelier d’architecture Pierre Hebbelinck
While meeting strict criteria for achieving low energy consumption, the building offers an exceptional relationship with its context. The house formed its clearance by responding to the constraints and attributes of the site. Its silhouette is divided into two wings opening onto the rural landscape; it also offers a feeling of spontaneous welcome. It is integrated into the site’s topography, ordered simultaneously by the relief and the poor quality of the soil, thus creating the upper floors with gentle spaces without modifying the natural configuration of the lot.
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