Low Energy Social Housing
A church at the crossroad of regional roads characterizes the centre of Westkerke, a small municipality in Belgium, West-Flanders. Ribbons of buildings delineate large blocks, the open space behind the houses is not visible nor accessible. The client, WoonWel, wishes to build social rental houses on four plots along the edge of the embedded block. In a second phase, another 36 houses will be built in the green space behind the terraced houses, with a small park for the neighbourhood. The four new clusters are satellites around the central houses, each of them is a gateway to the park, accessible for cyclists and pedestrians.
Along the Gistelsesteenweg, the limits of the minimum lot width for terraced houses are searched. All rooms are in a row, the net width inside is 3m60. The central patio enhances the spaciousness and provides abundant light. By a game of roof surfaces, the new homes are linked to both sides of the existing buildings, and all the new homes have their own individual roof. A large carport can be reached through an underpass in the street and makes a link to the other cluster.
Different ways of brickwork are used to make very subtle differences and to articulate entrance zones.
Social rental houses on four plots along the edge of an embedded block. The four new clusters are gateways to an embedded park, accessible for cyclists and pedestrians. By a game of roof surfaces, the new homes are linked to both sides of the existing buildings. A large carport can be reached through an underpass in the street and makes a link to the other cluster. Different ways of brickwork are used to make very subtle differences and to articulate entrance zones.
