House Brussel

Brussel Sint-Gillis, Belgium

Photo © Filip Dujardin

Architects: atelier tom vanhee

Location: Brussel Sint-Gillis, Belgium
Year: 2010

This duplex apartment is on the third and fourth floor of an apartment building in the centre of Brussels. Several separate small rooms on the fourth floor were converted into a large living space. The dilapidated ceiling at the back was taken out, making the apartment very spacious. Large windows along the rear façade fold around the patio and bring the urban landscape into the heart of the home. The many ducts and chimneys of the underlying apartments are not concealed. On the contrary, they are a crucial part of the interior, together with the exotic plant collection of the resident. The existing brick wall is kept visible. The use of different types of brick displays the many historical layers of the building. Roof lights emphasize the verticality of the ducts and chimneys and the spaciousness of the apartment. This creates an interplay of light and shadows throughout the day.