One of the few remaining Empire-style townhouses at the Sint-Donatuspark in Leuven was transformed with great respect from a run-down student house into a comfortable home for life. The front facade, part of a protected cityscape, was preserved and restored to its former glory, the discreet addition of a sober, sleek dormer window brings daylight deep into the home via the vertical circulation, to compensate for the subdued daylight through the canopy of the tall trees in the park.
The original layout of the house was revealed. When rebuilding the main volume, the former rear facade was reconstructed with old bricks left exposed. The former facade openings, which are now located in the interior, provide diagonal views and connections to the new extension. This south-facing rear extension lets in plenty of daylight and air through generous glass sections and richly vegetated roof gardens.
With a view to lifelong living, the home is fully wheelchair accessible. Each floor, designed as an open plan, is reached with an elevator. The building at the back of the garden was also rebuilt and now serves as a guest room and wellness. If necessary, it can also serve as a living space for informal care or for the stay of an au pair in the future.
In the heart of the building, half a floor has been lowered to create a split level, allowing sunlight to penetrate deeper into the home. It provides an interesting alternation between high and low spaces for the interaction between activity and intimacy. In the open plan, the spatiality is organized around a freestanding block, continuous from bottom to top. A multifunctional custom-made volume covered in walnut veneer contrasts with the floating wall furniture, finished in a sleek white grid.