General description

The social housing project consists out of 80 apartments including 19 houses especially adapted for disabled people. On the ground floor a center for assisted living is accommodated. As a gatehouse, the three similar building blocks will announce the new housing neighborhood in the future.
As designers we attach great importance to the public space. Because the site will function as gate for this new housing area of 500 entities the public space needs a strong identity. The volumes are a signal scaled in relation to this main road (Oostendse Steenweg). The ground floor with his residential quality functions as a green filter between the busy road and the quite neighborhood.

Layout

The three buildingblocks are composed out of 4 floors constructed around two big central intern patios. The openness on the ground floor is maximized to create a continuous accessible space. It is a pleasant place to meet and recreate with toys, patio gardens, water, an open square, paths, etc.
Analyzing existing more classic appartmentblocks some positive elements were implemented to create a better building: All appartments and houses do have two façades with a different orientation, every room can be ventilated naturally even the storage. Similar to hovercrafts that does not touch the sea, the appartments are lifted above the green recreational area.

Material

The three floating volumes are realized each in a mix of bricks with a slight nuance and this on top of a plinth in black sheet metal. The inside facades along the patios do have a complete different character and are constructed with a pale brick. Doing this generates a surprising effect while entering the housing project. The appartments are designed in a flexible way so they can be adapted economical for disabled people or for variable and changing family compositions. The project is exemplary because of the integration of a center for living assistance.

Drawings

Author: Architecten Groep III
Photos by: © Aurelie Janssens