SL House / AE-architecten

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Text description provided by the architects.The brief was to revert and transform a detached house in the 20th-century periphery ofGhent, which had previously been converted into two apartments, back into a singular dwelling for a young family with three children.For example, by adding new interventionist in yellow glazed brick, as a new layer in the existing masonry facades.This led us to create future-oriented spaces where the home can respond to those changing needs. The new in-situ concrete structure, made using rough-sawn timber formwork, allows for greater flexibility and relationships between spaces with a view to creating a socially orientated family home that can grow as the family does.We consider the house a palimpsest in which we preserved the qualities in the existing fabric, removing only the non-qualitative elements and introducing new contemporary and materialization interventions.The house has both architectural and social potential, with masses of natural light, a strong relationship to the garden, and spaces large enough to host social occasions, culminating in an enhanced quality of life. We understand that a family home is a dynamic space and should respond to the specific needs of the residents at any given time.