Architecture News Plus (ANP) – Architecture and Design Magazine

House "NSV"

This is a project by adn architectures + Olivier Dubucq Architecte and it is located at Walhain, Belgium. It was submitted to Architecture News Plus (ANP) by adn architectures. Project's program: Restoration and transformation of an 18th century farmhouse. There are twenty six images for House "NSV".

: © Filip Dujardin

Project details

Project name: House "NSV"
Location: Walhain, Belgium
Program: Restoration and transformation of an 18th century farmhouse
Area: Floor Area: 270 m2
Year: Planning Start: 2007 • Completion: July 2010
Project by: adn architectures + Olivier Dubucq Architecte
Team: Design Team: David Henquinet, Nicolas Iacobellis, Didier Vander Heyden, Olivier Dubucq

Project images

Designer's statement

The request of the client was the transformation of an old farmhouse composed of a main building and a cattle shed. Following the first studies, the attention was focused on the main building, chosen by the client to install its house. In a general way, the will was to the "patrimonial" setting ahead of the elements having a significant architectural value; the masonry or wooden structure of the roof for example. This valorisation was supplemented by some specific contemporary interventions on the outside and by a deep refitting of the interior spaces.

The dwelling, very decayed, was consequently the object of a heavy restoration, only the basic structure (walls and roof structure) was being preserved. A special attention was given to the structure: much reinforcement, out concrete, fastenings and ties, were necessary to maintain the existing structure. On the outside, the "contemporary" interventions were established by successive keys while trying to find a dialogue between the old architecture and the new elements - forward setting of the entry by a natural concrete gantry just as bay of the stay towards the back garden, play of depth of the bays. The external coating offers a texture that homogenizes the heteroclite masonry and accentuates the materiality, the plastic "sensuality" of the frontages.

An element made of birch is composed of various arrangements, the staircases, the cloakroom and the sanitary. Men cross it; men borrow it, to reach the floors. This architectural element shapes all over the width of the house, is turned over, gone up on the floors. At the upper level, spaces let appear all their height under the roof, accentuating this, the bathrooms are volumes with flat roof on which is placed an indirect lighting. Through various spaces of the dwelling, the three old wooden structures are magnified, crossing volumes, skirting walls, disappearing and appearing at other places, being based on a new structure.

A special attention was given to this old farm in order to meet the current energy standards and the comfort required for a family use in 2010 – roof, ground floor and walls insulation. Radiant heating, solar panels for the hot water, re-use of the rainwater.