House For a Young Family in Belgium by Atelier Vens Vanbelle.

Set into the surrounding landscape this charismatic home in Haaltert, Belgium has all the makings for a young family. Designed by Atelier Vens Vanbelle and completed in 2016, the colourful residence is a smorgasbord of architectural thought and originality. The home is designed with equal consideration to its site and the needs of its clients. Encapsulating the surrounding greenery to bring outdoor life in, this property’s residents are cleverly exposed to the neighbouring scenery. The studio’s artistic direction makes for a whimsical abode tailored to both design priorities.

Responding to arresting vistas, living spaces in this residence are staged toward the environment and glazed on three sides. Orientated to receive maximum sunlight throughout the day, the architects ensured natural light played an important role in creating an atmosphere for the home. Wanting to maintain intimacy and necessary privacy without impeding on the interiors exposure to nature, timber parquetry sits proudly on all walls, floors and ceilings in this space – a cosy home amid beautiful views. The property is situated at the end of a cul-de-sac alongside a sloping terrain and is accustomed to the hikers that walk the paths running along the back and side of the plot.

Designed as a split-level layout, an intriguing relationship is created between the spaces. The living room, located on the first floor, was formed by a volume of concrete blocks under which lies a spacious semi-underground basement and work studio. The laundry, storage room and entrance hall all sit half a level higher on the ground floor along with an enclosed entrance.

Acting as a partitioning system, four full-height cabinets sit between the living room and kitchen providing privacy to the lounge and functional storage for both spaces. Encased within the cabinets are slim supporting columns that support the second-floor structure. These also form a subtle buffer to the environment, achieving a perfect balance between seclusion and openness.

The residence features layers of colour, which are cleverly introduced to the design and vividly used on the exterior of the building. The yellow brick clad second-storey mass integrates three bedrooms and a bathroom as well as leading to the roof terrace. Additional sunlight enters the depths of the house through a window positioned next to the terrace. The building’s volume is highly materialized so that its layers are also readable from its exterior.

With a strong dialogue between house and environment, this light-hearted home captures neighbouring views without compromising a sense of privacy.