Nicolai

Corner view of the house.

Project Details

• Project Name: Nicolai
• Client: Nicolai
• Project Type: one family house
• Principal Designer/s: Egide Meertens
• Design Team: Egide Meertens Architect BVBA
• Contractor/s: Masonry work: Marcel Beckers; Roofwork: Renovite; Outside cabinet work: Greven nv; Heating and sanitary work: Vandebosch; Electricity: Castro Technics; Plasterwork: Marcel Beckers
• Date of commencement of project: 2004
• Date of completion of project: 2006
• Location of site: Riemst, Belgium
• Site Area: 746 sq. m.
• Built-up Area: 228 sq. m.
• Cost of Construction/Execution: € 172.000

Front view of the house.

Words from the architect

The fact that the dwelling had to be integrated on a corner plot of land put a very specific stamp on its design. The organisation of the inside life inside focused on the fact that two sides were in direct contact with life on the street.

The walls of the house have been adjusted to the environment. The brown bricks and the outdoors joinery are in total harmony with the environment.

Corner view of the house.

The Nicolad house is a small ground-floor dwelling with two bedrooms, which - in spite of the limited surface - offers a sense of spaciousness. The house features a strong interaction between horizontal and vertical volumes. The night part, located at the front of the house, is a couple of steps lower than the day part. Because of the difference in level of the ceilings, overhead light is brought into the house.

Corner view of the back of the house.

Also, in a straight line with the front wall door a sun blind is created, which on the one hand filters the light and creates a varied incidence of light and on the other ensures the privacy in the bedrooms vis-r-vis the street.

The access to the dwelling is created through an incision in the main volume. The wide pivoting door leads straight to the fireplace, which acts as the hinge point in the house. This fireplace was not specifically designed for one room but links the entrance to the other living areas, all situated at the back of the house. The sitting room and kitchen are arranged around the patio, which ensures full view across the whole of the living space.

Interior view of the entrance.

The patio is the designer's answer to the limited garden space at the back of the house. It increases the contact with the garden considerably and adds significant qualities to the use of the outside space.

The patio at the back is the equal counterpart of the U-shaped green inner court realised at the front in view of making the transition between public and private. The garden space - limited here as well - is separated discretely from the street, this way creating a link with the night part of the house.

Interior view of the kitchen.

The use of traditional materials is combined with contemporary design and based on the fact that the client had a strong preference for the floor tiles used.

Oak is used as a natural material in the kitchen. The access to the storage room is integrated seamlessly in the kitchen wall.

Interior view of the bathroom.

The major assets of this house are the way in which the designer dealt very successfully with the unorthodox corner location of the plot, the sense of spaciousness that was created in spite of the very limited surface and the evidence that contemporary quality architecture does not necessarily come with a 'modern' price tag.

Credits

• Text, Egide Meertens (translation by 'Aalsters Vertaalbureau')
• Photographs by Philippe van Gelooven, Courtesy of Egide Meertens