1. The client and the program for this house
We build this house for ourselves, Britt Crepain & Stefan Spaens (previously CSO ontwerpers, currently CSD Architecten)
2. The context
A very small plot of land (4×15m / build 4×12,5m), in a narrow street in the Centre of Antwerp, rear facade facing south. The design responds by opening up both facades maximum, split-levels and a void (with a roof of glass) on the top 3 levels (the main living areas : bureau/library/kitchen/dining and the highest split level is the sitting room with open fire and views of city and sky, from there you access the roof-terras (still splitleveled) with views over the entire city. In total the house has a basement, ground floor and 4 levels. The splitlevels bring the light from the south through the house. A lot more than with a normal (or standard) racking of floors, that most houses have. Sunlight comes through everywhere, especially in wintertime when the sun is low (ecologically we benefit from a south facade in winter, in summer we can open op top windows and create a natural ventilation through the void and the opening to the roofterras, currently (it’s snowing) the top level is almost like an iglo, with the open fire, and snow that lays on the glazed inclined windows.
3. Choice of materials
We chose all materials as natural as possible, colours flowing into each other, to create a monolithic character (other wise). Inspiration for the color pallet was found on a beach in france (driftwood, pebbles, the color of the sand)
4. Surfaces & levels
Footprint : outerwall 50 sqm 47 sqm innerwall, (when splitleveled : front =27sqm/vide stairs/elevator 4/level behind 16sqm )? 6 and a half (-1 basement (storage)/ 0 groundfloor (polyvalent for bureau/commercial or as it is now ‘carport’, washing room and extra storage behind a curtain). level 0,5 = vestiaire, level 1 : front main bedroom/master bathroom, rear second bedroom + showerroom / level 2 : front bureau – rear hobby+guest room / level 3 front : kitchen – rear dining / level 4 sitting room aroud open fire and access to first roof terrace / level 5 main roof terrace
5. Architecture & interior
Britt Crepain designed all the furniture, completely integrated (functional and esthetically) in the architecture that Britt & Stefan both designed. some of the fittings (for example glazed doors, are also designed by her) The rest of the fittings carefully selected…
6. The atmosphere
The changing of the colors by the sunlight that you cannot capture on foto (only on video), the warmth of the house, the iglo, the silence on the top floor and roof-terras, our favourite spots to sit, and the angle of view that you have there. In short : the actual and always changing atmosphere. (but to capture this, you have to live here for a while)
