Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

A Striking Home in the Flemish Countryside Cuts an Otherworldly Silhouette

A Striking Home in the Flemish Countryside Cuts an Otherworldly Silhouette

In Brakel, Belgium, local firm Graux & Baeyens Architecten proves that vernacular and contemporary architecture can harmoniously coexist.

When Goere and Evie, a couple in their forties, purchased a small countryside plot about 45 minutes from Ghent, Belgium, the duo approached Graux & Baeyens Architecten and gave the local firm carte blanche to design their new home.



"They wanted an open house," says architect Basile Graux, who founded the Ghent-based practice with architect Koen Baeyens. "Usually we have clients who have children or want to have children, but they said the house should be designed only for them."



While Goere and Evie’s brief wasn’t strict, local regulations in the area required that all new homes must be built with two stories and a pitched roof. Fortunately, this wasn’t a problem for the architect or the couple: "We like making a combination of vernacular and contemporary architecture," says Graux. "We felt that this blend could work from the beginning."



The couple were content for the home to have only one bedroom, instead prioritizing the open living spaces and making room for a small DJ booth. On the lower level, which is partially set into the ground, the architects started with a basic box shape, then cut out a corner to allow for an entrance and car port. The private areas, including the bedroom and laundry room, are located on the lower level, while the primary living space spans the second floor, in order to maximize natural light.



"Because of the topology of the [structure] and the views that we could create, it was more logical to go upstairs with the living spaces and put the entrance and more introverted, darker rooms into the ground," Graux explains.



When you enter the home, a sleek, white spiral staircase immediately invites you to climb upstairs. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow plenty of light into the primary living area on the second level, which includes two small, corner terraces-one with a staircase that leads down to the garden. Above the main living area, a lofted TV room is nestled under the pitched roof.



The architects incorporated natural Belgian brick details into the downstairs spaces, while the upper level is clad in unvarnished timber. Corrugated-iron sheets and concrete were used to finish the facade and sloping roof. "We like the combination of rough and smooth materials," Graux says. It seems as though the architects are not alone in this sentiment: House D-S gains so much attention from passersby that Goere and Evie actually installed a bench outside so people can sit and admire it.


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
Canada: Nurse Suspended and Fined 93 Thousand Dollars After Stating the World’s Most Well-Known Fact Since the Creation of Adam and Eve, That There Are Only Two Genders
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
U.S. Treasury Secretary Whitney Bessent Backs Stablecoins to Boost Treasury Demand
Spain to Declare Disaster Zones After Massive Wildfires
Three-Minute Battery Swap Touted as Future of EVs
Beijing Military Parade to Showcase Weapons Advances
U.S. Tech Stocks Slide on AI Boom Concerns
White House Confirms Talks Over Intel Stake
Trump Suggests U.S. Could Support Ukraine ‘By Air’
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
UK Government Tries to Sue 4chan for Breaching Online Safety Act
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Cambridge Dictionary Adds 'Skibidi,' 'Delulu,' and 'Tradwife' Amid Surge of Online Slang
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
The CEO Who Replaced 80% of Employees for the AI Revolution: "I Would Do It Again"
"Every Centimeter of Your Body Is a Masterpiece": The Shocking Meta Document Revealed
Character.ai Bets on Future of AI Companionship
China Ramps Up Tax Crackdown on Overseas Investments
Japanese Office Furniture Maker Expands into Bomb Shelter Market
Intel Shares Surge on Possible U.S. Government Investment
Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. East Coast with Dangerous Surf
EU Blocks Trade Statement Over Digital Rule Dispute
EU Sends Record Aid as Spain Battles Wildfires
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
China Requires Data Centres to Source Majority of AI Chips Locally, For Technological Sovereignty
Escalating Clashes in Serbia as Anti-Government Protests Spread Nationwide
Category 5 Hurricane in the Caribbean: 'Catastrophic Storm' with Winds of 255 km/h
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Digital Humans Move Beyond Sci-Fi: From Virtual DJs to AI Customer Agents
YouTube will start using AI to guess your age. If it’s wrong, you’ll have to prove it
Jellyfish Swarm Triggers Shutdown at Gravelines Nuclear Power Station in Northern France
OpenAI’s ‘PhD-Level’ ChatGPT 5 Stumbles, Struggles to Even Label a Map
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
×