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It's like nothing ever happened.
What do you do with a remnant space only 2.4 meters (7 feet 10 inches) wide?
Search for ultimate living...
The 7'10" wide building seen from the street. Photography by Luc Roymans .
Four wooden floors between two existing walls, hanging in a steel skeleton, organize this house: downstairs for work, dining on 1st, relaxing on 2nd, sleeping on 3rd, and on the roof, go and enjoy the view.
The border to the outside is only glass. Transparency not only a necessity, but also a trump card.
The 7'10" wide building seen from the street. Photography by Luc Roymans .
The 7'10" wide building seen from the street. Photography by Luc Roymans .
Where is the border of living if everything is visible? This articulated transparency displays every facet of living on each floor framed by the black window frameworks like a living painting and is also an intentional wink to a former trade in this neighborhood: prostitution.
Street level: working. Photography by Luc Roymans .
1st level: eating. Photography by Luc Roymans .
2nd level: living. Photography by Luc Roymans .
3rd level: sleeping. Photography by Luc Roymans .
Roof level: (sun)bathing. Photography by Luc Roymans .
Restrictions of the available floor space (60m2 / 645 ft2) also shift the border between actually needed and pure luxury. Thus compromises with the available space are no option. Floor space is glorious but also not the most important determining factor of 'nice living'. Paying respect to these strong restrictions, gives pure luxury and freedom, a place in the city, comfort, and affordable space to live.
Street front. Photography by Luc Roymans .
floor plans
Besides space, time was the other important limitation of this project. No sempiternal construction process but a sophisticated assembly guided by strict planning. The building was (except for the first floor) assembled completely 'dry'. A steel structure was placed between the existing walls in barely three weeks. Wooden floors, placed into the steel structure, formed the proposition for the next floor, one at a time. Finally, the staircase was inserted in one piece. Three black PE tubes, arranged vertically and horizontally and housed between double wooden floors, provide infrastructure for plumbing, heating and electricity. Due to this technical concept, the existing and permanently visible walls could remain intact. The chosen construction principles, venture, and a progressive attitude towards adaptation planning are an example of the efficiency of this house also.
The kitchen as part of the lighting installation. Photography by Luc Roymans .
The staircase was inserted in one piece. Photography by Luc Roymans .
All fixtures were designed by the architects themselves as well and were – of course – adjusted to the narrow space of each floor. The transparency of each space had to be sustained. The fixtures were made of stainless steel.
sculp(IT)
Pieter Peerlings & Silvia Mertens
sculp(IT) is a young, progressive and complementary team of architects who apply their passion for architecture to every task given.
sculp(IT) is based in Antwerp, Belgium and currently consists of Silvia Mertens, arch., and Pieter Peerlings, arch.
29 Comments
fucking damm awsome
love it.
Very nice. Even better if you're an exhibitionist.
Damm.
Love the rooftop bath.
And the narrowness of the whole program.
I take it they live/work out of their studio?
Beautiful. Although the toilet just kind of hanging out next to the bed is a bit unnerving.
remids me of hollywood square...
I would like to see the programming cost and detailed drawings.
Think Pieter Peerlings & Silvia Mertens would want to collaborate with a young aspiring architectural designer in NYC?
The minimalism is very forward thinking, cheers!
brilliant. that is the coolest front door ever.
agree with WonderK but love the other bits. although the toilet that close to the bed could be handy after a big night out throwin back those strong little belgan beers!
i normally hate the "overdone" container resource in terms of architecture, but i must say also there's small examples that are the exception to this discourse, i think this guys did an awesome job as also the FREITAG store in Basel....
im not sure i like the toilet next to the bed thou....
Mad, like I said, as handsome as it is, it's for exhibitionists; weather taking a dump, a shower, a bath, or making love, you're on view for the whole world to see.
this could not be a real project anywhere in united states for exiting requirements to begin with. it is like a performance art piece and i do like to use it as a stage in a play. though, i'd live in it temporarily for a week...
on the other hand, great chance to work with otherwise in between space (literally.)
it is an achievement in itself for getting it done.
i wonder if those kind of site opportunities are plenty in antwerp and this project opens many other doors?
beautiful, but i think the neon lights weren't necessary
i would love to see the toilet on the roof as well.. perhaps it would be like the "epiphany toilet" from scrubs.
It is the openness which is my favourite aspect.
The extension of space acquired through a wee bit of bravery.
Public face for the workspace & privacy in verticality
And the fun question of who is really watching who?
MAD, I don't think these are containers, check out the drawings and photos again and you'll see it's all custom. They do look like containers, though, because of the corrugated ceiling.
Really nice project.
a beautiful machine for living; the mini cooper of domiciles.
I'm with Thriller: fucking damn awesome.
That said, if I lived there I'd have to either do bottom up blinds or frost the lower 5' of each glass panel. I'm a bit of an exhibitionist but not that much of one, and I do like to be naked! Or maybe use that glass they use in toilet stalls that goes opaque with elecrtical current.
I wonder how few people in the world can understand how living in that reduced an environment truly is luxurious? I'm at a paring down time in my life, trying to simplify and get rid of extraneous stuff. I'd hate to get rid of all my art, but being forced into a "If something new comes in, something else has to go out" frame of mind about my living space would be extraordinarily freeing, IMO.
Congrats to Pieter and Silvia for a fabulous project!
It looks like there might be shades on the windows on the upper floors, but they are rolled out of sight in those pics.
Look at this pic from Luc Roymans' website (the guy that also took the ones on this page): http://www.roymans.com/data/images/2/4/15.jpg
That pic is the red one in the third row of images from this page: http://www.roymans.com/?p=residential%20interior&s=modern
Arch,
Looks like a curtain to me! I feel much better. Thanks
I'll join the chorus of disapproval regarding the toilet, but otherwise I love it. The stainless steel kitchen counter is especially beautiful!
Exciting...
This solution could save a HUGE amount of space in crowded cities.
How do you deal with security issues?
What a cute house, you could say you live in a Giant Street Light (semaphore).
You just have to keep it very ordered (the place and activities.
Can you play in the Sleep room, or sleep in the work place?
efficient / compact yet chic
insanely nice. One question, how can the stair like this get proved to be built? Impossible in China....
one smelly dump and we'd all hate the design.
Rich in architectural valour (imagine a Simon Cowell accent/demeanour) but a tad Spartan in its utility. I give it a thumbs up.
a beautiful and elegant solution.
it really does need a separate loo though!
any idea where i can get a better view of their detail drawings??
Ever since I saw this it stayed in the back of my mind.
Example: should one want to use the kitchen design, where /whom would I contact.
I’ve looked, I’ve searched and have yet to find someone who offers I kitchen like this. Maybe someone could direct me to a manufacturer/supplier ?
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