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Architects: Architecten De Bruyn
- Area: 244 m²
- Year: 2020
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Photographs:Johnny Umans
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Manufacturers: Sapa
Text description provided by the architects. A dilapidated mill hull forms the basis for the unusual single-family dwelling of House Wind. The hull and the adjacent outbuildings were restored and expanded with a simple, uncomplicated volume. Introverted mill body meets extroverted extension. House Wind is, to a large extent, similar to a thorough restoration project, as the mill body was in very poor condition and had to be rebuilt with as many as possible of the existing parts preserved. Recuperation bricks were sought out that could be used for extra masonry. Everything was mortared with lime mortar, the two existing concrete slabs within the hull were reinforced, and the two new ones were carefully inserted into the existing volume.
The new open volume includes the living spaces and kitchen on the ground floor and the master bedroom on the first floor. The structure consists of a steel column structure between smooth concrete floor slabs. A light envelope of curtain wall profiles encloses this structure and provides a dynamic interplay between glazed and opaque facade sections. A generous amount of glazing is used to allow daylight to penetrate deep into the house and the introverted mill hull. In contrast to the open, extroverted character of the extension, the mill shell has an introverted architecture because of its closed, brick design. For this reason, the quiet and reserved functions of the library on the ground floor and the bathroom on the first floor have positioned here. On the top two floors, the introversion is broken by providing larger façade openings that connect to the green surroundings.
The new extension forms a clear and fresh contrast with the shell of the mill. Both volumes come together in the majority of the rooms and complement each other perfectly. The simplicity of the major building materials, such as brick, concrete, steel and aluminium, are complemented by colourful fixed furniture throughout the different spaces. The grey, green and orange accents create a fresh, contemporary atmosphere.
