A Shop Inside a House: Tangram in Kortrijk by Architecten de Vylder Vinck Taillieu.

Architecten de Vylder Vinck Taillieu have recently completed a renovation of a heritage building in Kortrijk, Belgium which has been divided into two dwellings – one a house, the other a shop. We were going to tell you about this project in our own words, but the architect’s perplexing and bizarre description feels too good not to share in it’s entirety. Are you ready? Here goes:

“A sharp line makes two houses out of one. A sharp line makes one house out of two houses. One of those houses will be dealt with. The other will not – not really. One of the houses will become a shop. The other will not. The other will become not a store.” 

But together one house.

Two houses which together form one will look towards each other through that sharp line. The sharp line will be a wall of glass. Along the wall visitors will walk into one of the houses to the back. On the other side visitors will walk through the shop to the front. Or to the back again.

A long shop – along the shop. Following the sharp line that is a wall of glass. From front façade to garden at the back.

The garden at the back is just so a house. Half of a house, without a roof. An old stable. A new garden.

And upstairs. Another house. Behind the front face. Just so a house, to live in.

How many houses can a house be? While being a shop as well. A walk through the house as shop.”

So… Did you get that? I know. 100% crystal clear.

See more projects by Architecten de Vylder Vinck Taillieu on Yellowtrace.

[Images courtesy of Architecten de Vylder Vinck Taillieu. Photography © Filip Dujardin.]