A warm and open home in Belgium

In Belgium’s Flanders region, architecture firm SAOTA has created a design that combines a love of tradition with a contemporary spirit. Characterized by the prominence of water as the connecting element between its parts, the house is conscious of its environment, which it addresses through its architecture and materials.

Nestled in a large wooded property in Belgium’s Flanders region, this residence, designed by the SAOTA architectural firm, stands out for its well-defined rooms, more classical than the open spaces marking modern housing. Its distinctive feature is a fluid architecture that allows the cells to change with the seasons. In summer, the house is projected outside the walls, via terraces and gardens. In winter, it folds in on itself thanks to its central atrium. The atrium, with its double volumes and rooftop windows, is undoubtedly the most majestic part of the structure. Split in two, the overall plan includes a main residence and a pavilion, where the swimming pool and work office are located side by side. This double play of living and leisure/work spaces is linked by an ingenious pathway dotted with landscaped courtyards and lakes where koi carp wriggle. The whole is presented in a limited choice of materials, chosen to enhance the timelessness and authenticity of the dwelling: Giallo d’Istria marbled rock cladding on the walls, sandstone on the floor and Alucabond aluminum panelling around the fireplace. All this is punctuated by giant panes of glass, protected here and there by sculptural vertical columns acting as screens.