Named Markthuis, the two-storey residence has been reconfigured to create a central atrium, helping to bring more daylight onto a double-height "exhibition wall" of paintings and antlers.

Barcode Architects replaced the original staircase with a freestanding wooden structure that folds back and forth through the atrium between clear-glass balustrades.

A frosted glass wall separates the staircase from the entrance lobby just in front, where a bearskin rug is spread across the floor.

Beyond the atrium, most of the original partitions have been removed to create a large open-plan space on both storeys. At ground-floor level, this room functions as reception room for entertaining guests, while the floor above is used as a general living and dining room.

"From any point in the villa there is a clear view out, to the sky and the green," says Barcode Architects. "Combined with the 'lofty' floor plan, it delivers the house with a unique transparency and quality."

Other recently completed house renovations include a converted stable block in England and an overhauled townhouse in the Netherlands. See more renovations on Dezeen.

Photography is by Christian van der Kooij.

Here's some more information from Barcode Architects:

Barcode Architects 'Markthuis' is completed

Barcode Architects design for the extension and renovation of 'Markthuis' is completed. The design is driven by the desire to optimise the daylighting in the house and the wish of the client to reserve a prominent place for his large collection of art and hunting trophies.

In order to maximize the spatial experience most of the interior walls are removed to remain with one open living space extending over the first two floors of the villa. Downstairs are comfortable spaces for receiving guests while on the upper first floor more intimate and private areas with an open plan kitchen, study, and lounge area are situated.

A large atrium connects the two layers and provides space for an exclusive, double high exhibition wall with an impressive amount of artefacts. The wooden staircase is placed as a freestanding piece of furniture within the vide, on one side guided by a 6 meter tall piece of glass. The glazed element separates the kitchen and the entrance lobby from the rest of the house and offers exciting plays of light and shadow.

Notice: Barcode Architects
Location: Belgium
Stage: Realized
Client: Private
Area: 400 sqm

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Barcode Architects appeared first on Dezeen.

Designed by Belgian studios Robbrecht en Daem and Marie-José Van Hee, the dual-gabled timber and concrete structure references the gabled forms of a nearby town hall to provide a grand shelter between the gothic structures of a church and belfry in the centre of the city.

The site had formally served as a car park, but the architects have paved over the ground surfaces to create a new public square.

The 40-metre-long Market Hall stretches across the square and is open on all sides, allowing pedestrians to enter from any direction.

Four chunky concrete feet support the asymmetric roof at each of its corners.

Glass squares clad the exterior surfaces of the building to protect the timber from the elements.

A fireplace is positioned inside one of the concrete feet for use during an annual festival and lets smoke out through a chimney in the roof.

The building was named on the shortlist for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture in January, alongside a nursing home in Portugal, a concert hall in Iceland, a timber canopy in Spain and a city park in Denmark.

Other market buildings completed in recent years include a concrete fish market in Istanbul and a farmers' market shelter in Virginia. See more markets on Dezeen.

See more photography by Hufton + Crow on Dezeen or on the photographers' website.

Here's a project description from Robbrecht en Daem Architecten:

Market Hall & Central Squares Ghent, 1996-2012

Following two demolition campaigns for a world exhibition in 1913 and an administrative centre never built in the 60s, Ghent's historic heart degenerated for decades into a desolate parking lot in between a suite of three adjoining Gothic towers.

In two consecutive competitions between 1996 and 2005, Robbrecht en Daem architecten and Marie-José Van Hee architects proposed their own programme, countering the initial competition requirement.

Rather than just providing an open space for events, they sought, by meticulously positioning a market hall, to rectify this deficiency and reinstate the presence of old urban areas that had become unrecognisable.

The building positions itself between Poeljemarkt, Goudenleeuwplein, and a new lower 'green' connecting to the 'brasserie', bicycle park and public toilets below the hall. And although the building clearly occupies a position on the 24,000m2 site, it fits in well.

Compared to St. Nicholas Church, Belfry and Cathedral, it assumes the heights of a lower group of buildings such as the adjacent town hall, from which it derives, mathematically, its profile.

As an urban interior, the inside embraces the passer-by with a dual modulated wooden ceiling, whose small windows scatter light inwards.

The exterior, the entire building in fact, seems to assume a respectful role relative to the nobler historic stone buildings, by using a wooden, almost humble, finish.

A glass envelope protects the wood and provides a soft shine, with the sky reflected, integrated. Large buffer basins to absorb rainwater, principles of low energy consumption for the brasserie, use of truly natural materials, the contribution of public transport and a clear vision about giving new value to the historic centre with its old spatial structures, are just parts that broadly flesh out 'sustainability' for the future. The centre of Ghent will again become a social spot for people.

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and Marie-José Van Hee appeared first on Dezeen.

The Buda Art Centre accommodates studio and exhibition spaces for artists in residence across all three floors of the old Budafabriek, the last remaining structure of the Desmet-Dejaeghere textile factory on Buda Island.

The architects were keen to retain traces of the building's history, so they left much of the interior unchanged and concentrated on inserting just two new pentagonal spaces.

The first pentagon is the pale-brick entrance pavilion, which contrasts with the dark red tones of the existing factory buildings. The structure twists away from the neighbouring facades and points out towards the road, but it has no roof, encouraging anyone inside to look straight up to the sky.

"The shape [of the pavilion] creates a friction between the existing buildings and the new intervention," 51N4E's Paul Steinbrück told Dezeen. "Even though it gets very close to the surrounding buildings, it doesn't touch them at any point. It is not an open space and not a building."

Above: photograph is by Paul Steinbrueck

For the second pentagon, the architects hollowed out a space at the centre of the factory to create a triple-height atrium connecting all three floors. A new staircase winds around the walls, while clerestory glazing and a large skylight brings natural light through to the studios and galleries. "The vertical space creates a visual understanding of the building," added Steinbrück.

Stairs also lead up to the roof the building, where an expansive roof terrace offers a view of the River Leie and the city skyline beyond.

"The Buda Art Centre is a new type of cultural space," conclude the architects. "Making reference to its past, it remains a workshop of production. The warm palette of colours and the series of rather informal spaces invite people to appropriate and discover the building for their own production, exhibition and casual interaction."

Above: photograph is by Paul Steinbrueck

Also this week, Czech studio Atelier Hoffman revealed images of a riverside coal mill converted into a studio and exhibition space. Other artists' studios we've featured include a pointy gallery and studio in Japan and a series of cabin-like studios on a picturesque Canadian island. See more artists' studios on Dezeen.

Photography is by Filip Dujardin, apart from where otherwise stated.

Here's some more information from 51N4E:

Buda Art Centre
51N4E

The last remaining textile factory on Buda Island - an area destined to become the cultural heart of the city - has been transformed into studios and exhibition spaces for artists in residence. This large volume, situated in the middle of a city block, has been adapted through two main interventions.

Above: photograph is by Paul Steinbrueck

The first hollows out a large void in the centre of the building, bringing daylight deep into the vast floor plan. This pentagonal void houses a public staircase that gives access to a diverse range of spaces on four levels: a laboratory for manufacturing, multifunctional spaces of varying sizes and lighting conditions, music venues and a roof terrace. The biggest part of the structure is reused. Besides saving resources, the reuse allows for a large cultural building within a limited budget.

The second intervention adds an open pavilion as an entrance hall from the street. Built from the yellow brick discovered in the original interior, this pavilion becomes the new facade of the complex: the tip of the iceberg. The pavilion itself functions as an antechamber, giving a foretaste of events inside.

The Buda Art Centre is a new type of cultural space. Making reference to its past, it remains a workshop of production. The materials and details make it an approachable space for all kinds of activities and users. The warm palette of colours and the series of rather informal spaces invite people to appropriate and discover the building for their own production, exhibition, and casual interaction.

While the majority of the building is hidden from its surrounding context, the roof terrace provides a sudden confrontation with the city of Kortrijk. The building is a tool to look, not an object to look at. It avoids becoming an image but instead creates an environment.

Project name: Buda Art Centre
Name of building in use: Budafabriek
Location: Kortrijk, Belgium

Programme: exhibition & event facilities, artists' studios
Built surface: 4.240 m²
Budget: € 2.000.000

Design period: 2005 (competition) – 2007
Construction period: 2010 – 2012

Design team: Johan Anrys, Freek Persyn, Peter Swinnen, Tine Cooreman, Aline Neirynck, Bob De Wispelaere, Karel Verstraeten, Jan Opdekamp, Joram Van den Brande, Marc-Achille Filliol, Chris Blackbee, Emmanuel Debroise

Above: section - click for larger image

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by 51N4E appeared first on Dezeen.

Located in the village of Mullem, the bright-white building accommodates a family house and a small practice for a physiotherapist.

Graux & Baeyens Architecten were restricted from building too close to neighbouring houses, so were only left with a narrow plot to fit the house onto. This meant all rooms had to be organised on a linear axis with the physiotherapy practice tacked onto the end.

"Planning regulations required a minimum clear gap of four metres between the neighbours on both sides of the already narrow site, which meant that the building's organisation had to be very efficient with space," explain architects Basile Graux and Koen Baeyens.

Rooms are staggered back and forth on both floors of the two-storey building, adding space for additional windows on the protruding walls. As well as letting in more light, this prevents any problems with overlooking the neighbours.

All bedrooms are positioned on the ground floor, freeing up space on the upper storey for an open-plan living and dining room with views out over the village rooftops. Different areas are loosely defined by the set backs in the walls, while balconies are slotted into the recesses.

To integrate a parking space for the family car, the architects added an extra wall and shelter beside the house's entrance.

Other interesting houses in Belgium include a residence in a former laundry building and a glass house with a sunken swimming pool. See more architecture in Belgium.

Photography is by Luc Roymans.

Here's a more detailed description from Graux & Baeyens Architecten:

House DZ in Mullem, Belgium

New construction of a private house + physiotherapist practice

The general concept of the building is responsive to the narrow plot and dense program as required by the clients. The brief was for both a family home and a physiotherapy practice.

Planning regulations required a minimum clear gap of four metres between the neighbours on both sides of the already narrow site, which meant that the building's organisation had to be very efficient with space.

The first step in working with these limitations was to switch the traditional dwelling program. The daylight functions (kitchen, dining, living & terraces) are located on the first floor with bedrooms and bathrooms located on the ground floor. This allowed for better views from the spaces on the first floor along with much more natural light entering the most commonly used spaces. The monolithic volume was then separated into smaller blocks which could shift to achieve maximum direct sunlight entering the building along with selecting specific and beautiful views.

The first floor is kept open plan but the shifting rooms also act to define and separate the different spaces without actually creating physical divisions. Each space is visually connected but has its own atmosphere due to the location of the windows and shifting of the blocks. By shifting the blocks on the first floor balconies are also created for the kitchen and lounge space.

The windows were carefully placed in the facade to capture surrounding views in particular the green areas to the east of the site and also to allow direct sunlight into the living spaces. The south facade is kept closed for privacy and to block the sun when its at its highest point.

On the south west facade the windows are placed perpendicular to the neighbours. This is once again to maximise the amount of natural light entering the building and to ensure privacy for both the neighbours and our own clients.

An efficient and sustainable volume is achieved due to the compact nature of the building along with its orientation to maximise natural sunlight wherever it's possible.

The buildings compactness is also evident with the efficiency of the program. The client requested a physiotherapy practice to be incorporated into the building. The ground floor is defined by a narrow corridor which has two stairs mirroring each other.

One stairs connects the bedrooms and bathrooms to the living areas on the first floor. The public stairs connect two physiotherapy practices one on the ground floor and one on the first floor. These stairs separate the private and public functions but also help to bring light into the ground floor and to open up the corridor space, creating an airy and pleasant entrance to the building.

The client also had a requirement for a car port and garden shed on the ground floor. These program requirements were used within the sites limitations to achieve their function and also define private external spaces.

The car port acts as a private and secluded entrance for the physiotherapy practice and the garden shed defines a terrace which is secluded from the neighbours and opens out into the garden. External steps lead up to the lounge area connecting the first floor living functions to the garden.

Address: Mullem, Belgium
Client: family DZ
Design: 2009-2010
Interior design: 2010-2012
Start construction: January 2011
Finished: February 2012
Site area: 810 sqm
Built area: 263 sqm
Design architect: Graux & Baeyens Architecten
Project architect: Graux & Baeyens Architecten

Materials:
- Facade Facade System on EPS insulation
- Construction concrete and brick
- Windows Aluminium

Above: concept diagram

Above: ground floor plan

Above: first floor plan

Above: cross-section

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Graux & Baeyens Architecten appeared first on Dezeen.

Located in Ghent, Wasbar is the first in a chain of stores proposed in different Belgian cities. Washing machines line the edge of the room, while pastel-coloured cafe furniture fills the centre and two hairdressing stations are located at the back.

Pinkeye developed the concept searching for a better solution to the "garish strip-lighting" and "soundcloud din" of everyday laundrettes. At Wasbar, visitors are free to relax while they wait for the end of the washing cycle.

Each washing machine has a name inscribed on the wall above it and all the pipes are tucked away out of sight. "There's nothing about a washing machine which says it has to stand in an unpleasant space," explains Pinkeye's Ruud Belmans.

Before the renovation, the building was used as a bookshop. The architects restored the original parquet flooring and added a coat of lacquer.

An assortment of mismatched drawers are mounted onto the walls, displaying price lists and acting as shelving for plants.

A graphic logo emblazoned with a clothes peg and a bottle opener is also printed onto the walls. "For us it was important to create a solid identity," said Belmans, explaining how this is integral to rolling the project out in other cities. "A couple of pieces of vintage furniture doesn't cut it," he added.

Another recently completed laundrette is Splash in Barcelona, where neon lights create the impression of a nightclub. We also recently featured a laundry building converted into a house.

See more architecture and interiors in Belgium »

Photography by Arne Jennard.

Here's a project description from Pinkeye:

Sometimes a solution is so obvious that it makes you wonder how on earth nobody came up with it before. Wasbar, a brand-new launderette/meeting place, is a fine example: while their dirty laundry spins, the people of Ghent can enjoy a drink with friends or get a new hairdo in one of the two hairdresser's chairs. The all-in-one concept was elaborated by Pinkeye.

The property that Wasbar occupies was formerly a bookshop. Its worn-out parquet floor was given a fresh coat of lacquer, while the ceiling with its decorative mouldings was left intact. The technical aspect presented the biggest challenge. "A launderette primarily requires plenty of brainwork and preparatory work: you need extra power to keep everything running and we wanted to hide the pipes and wiring from view," Pinkeye's creative director Ruud Belmans explains. The pipes and wiring are ensconced in the cellar, leaving just the rows of sleek machines in the space above. "There's nothing about a washing machine which says it has to stand in an unpleasant space."

Wasbar is perfectly suited to the student or young professional who is cramped for space – something that is not unknown in this Flemish city of students. 'What does the student want?' wondered the young, ambitious proprietors, Dries Henau and Yuri Vandenbogaerde. To spend their time more usefully, I mean more enjoyably, than sitting in a cheerless, bare space with garish strip-lighting in the midst of a 'soundcloud' din of whirring machines.

So Wasbar is quite the opposite: cosy and convivial. The washing theme plays the lead role in the elongated interior. The 18 'grand old ladies', the washing machines that bear the names of a grandma, are lined up proudly along the wall. The tumble dryers take the names of grandpas, all crowdsurfed via Facebook.

Opposite the washing machines stands the colourfully tiled bar, with a collage of wooden drawers in various types of wood mounted on the wall, all recycled from discarded furniture from grandma's day. The contents of the drawers serve as a display for the food menu, the washing prices and washing possibilities, the haircut options and so on. Some of the drawers have been reborn as alternative planters.

Besides employing this kind of upcycling, Pinkeye conceived a palette of toned-down salmon pink, pistachio, cornflower and royal blue, as well as a graphic identity in the form of a two-fold logo: a clothes-peg crossed with a bottle-opener. They created lampshades from coat-hangers and colourful clotheslines playfully break up the space. Second-hand chairs were given a lick of green or blue paint. Fashion designers Black Balloon created dapper laundry bags so that you don't have to trawl through the city with a transparent plastic bag full of personal wares.

"For us it was important to create a solid identity," says Belmans. "The concept will probably be rolled out in other cities in Belgium, which makes a distinctive image important. Then a couple of pieces of vintage furniture doesn't cut it." The designers have even thought about the potential laundry errors of the inexperienced washer: as a warning there are examples of what happens if you throw a red sock in with a white T-shirt or give your woollen sweater a hot wash.

Wasbar taps into the social trend of people wanting to commune again, to meet face-to-face instead of whiling away an hour with 'wassups?' on an iPhone. You can even practice your riffs on the Wasbar piano. And if you really want to, then you can stay in touch with the virtual world via wifi.

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by Pinkeye appeared first on Dezeen.