Atelier Vens Vanbelle's Brick Industrial Home in Ghent

A brick cube reminiscent of old industrial structures forms this family home in the suburbs of Ghent, designed by Belgian architecture studio Atelier Vens Vanbelle.

The home, named Project Tomas & Katrien after its clients, was designed to create the impression that it had "always been there". According to the studio, they proposed to the city services to build the home against a large blind wall on the property boundary, but the city did not want to go along with this idea. As a result, the studio chose to design a brick building that refers to old industrial or workshop architecture.

Project Tomas & Katrien comprises two storeys organised around a central diamond-shaped skylight and light well. The beams of the home's ground-floor ceiling, as well as its paved and timber-plank floors, have all been positioned to align with this central void, setting them at diagonals to the edges of the home.

The home's 45-degree angle was also the basis of a diagonal wall on the ground floor that separates the large living, dining and kitchen area from a series of smaller service areas. Upstairs, the home's four bedrooms are organised around a cross-shaped, multipurpose area that was designed to feel like an extension of the living area below.

The studio aimed to avoid building a traditional home with a living area on the ground floor and an upper floor where there is hardly anything to do. Instead, they chose to build a home that can be experienced across both floors. The 45-degree angle in the floor plan creates a captivating perspective, making the spaces feel even larger than they actually are.

The materials used in the home evoke the atmosphere of an old workshop - bricks combined with old clay tiles, wooden walls and ceilings, and metal stairs and balustrades. The palette is raw, yet feels homely and familiar at the same time.

The home's garden features a garden store, a bike shelter, and a seating area. The garden store is flanked by the bike shelter and seating area and features perforated brick walls. It is covered by a raised, sloping timber and polycarbonate roof.

Elsewhere in Ghent, local architecture studios Atelier Avondzon and Macadam Atelier have also looked to industrial structures for their renovation of a derelict home. The home features a sawtooth roof and corrugated metal cladding. Decancq Vercruysse recently reorganised a mid-century bungalow around a fireplace.

## Materials and Design

The home's design and materials were chosen to evoke the atmosphere of an old workshop. The studio used a combination of bricks, old clay tiles, wooden walls and ceilings, and metal stairs and balustrades.

| Material | Description | | --- | --- | | Bricks | Used to create the home's exterior walls | | Old clay tiles | Used to add texture and character to the home's interior | | Wooden walls and ceilings | Used to create a warm and inviting atmosphere | | Metal stairs and balustrades | Used to add a touch of industrial chic |

## The Home's Layout

The home's layout is designed to be experienced across both floors. The 45-degree angle in the floor plan creates a captivating perspective, making the spaces feel even larger than they actually are.

| Floor | Description | | --- | --- | | Ground floor | Features a large living, dining and kitchen area, as well as a series of smaller service areas | | First floor | Features four bedrooms, a cross-shaped, multipurpose area, and a bright yellow balustrade |