Tasked to extend the footprint of the Belgian dwelling House BL, architecture studio Graux & Baeyens let the existing house and the terrain it sits on dictate the new addition’s direction.
Graux & Baeyens conserved 95% of the initial structure, transforming it into the family’s private wing. The extension veers away at a slight angle from the original volume, orienting the new social wing towards views of the nearby castle grounds’ park area and grazing fields. A corridor — big enough for the children to play in at 1.40 meters wide — runs down the home’s entire length, gradually leading to the new wing’s light-filled living area with pitched roof ceilings and a large picture window, and, a few steps further down, a convivial dining and kitchen area where the family’s daily routines and activities naturally take place, with sliding doors opening up to the backyard.
The interiors feature a melange of materials and furnishings that come together to form a visually cohesive picture: soft comfortable couches sit beside chunky armchairs and side tables; rough concrete plinths contrast sharply with plain white walls; and kitchen and bathroom cabinetry in light wood.
Taken in all together, House BL realises the architects’ vision of a visually cohesive and harmonious volume, one without any jarring distinctions between the old and new structures. See more from Graux & Baeyens on their website and Instagram; also see their renovation of a 1960s bungalow here.
Photography © Jeroen Verrecht for Graux & Baeyens