Articles by Paula Pintos

The house, like a construction set, is made of Serhii Makhno’s favorite materials: linen, wood, clay, and metal — the best things nature has given us.

The power of omission. For years Jaap and Marieke have considered the idea of building their own house. Several designs were abandoned, proved too expensive, or did not suit the conditions of the zoning plan. To get to the essence, all of the ideas and wishes were carefully sifted through. Thanks to simplification and reduction, but without abandoning essential wishes, a comprehensible house was created. The simplistic, single-story design can be read at a glance.

The brief was to revert and transform a detached house in the 20th-century periphery of Ghent, which had previously been converted into two apartments, back into a singular dwelling for a young family with three children.

The project consists of the renovation and additions to a storehouse from 1749 adding a bathroom, kitchen and bedrooms. The scheme also includes renovating the old masonry baker oven and walls made of timber framing with infill from slag stone.

A dark brick facade rests amongst the trees och lets the atmosphere of the forest dominate the space.