An old agricultural polder site in Middelkerke, Belgium was sanitised and the existing farmhouse was rebuilt by ARKS architecten into a low-energy home within very strict urban planning regulations. The main volumes of storage space on the north side were refreshed and stripped of all outbuildings. In a next phase a bed and breakfast will be built on the west side of the site, within the sizes of the old shed. Two central axes connect the various buildings and re-add legibility and structure to the site.
The typical rural appearance of the old house with storages – one building layer with a saddle roof – was integrated in the new house and is enhanced by the design. The red-brown tones that defined the old polder farm were revived by cladding both the roof and the façade with a mix of three different clay tiles (1/3 Amaranth -1/3 Rustic – 1/3 Toscana). This finishing, along with the white Tectiva lining and the glass on the south façade, create a contemporary building which is integrated in the environment.
The plan can be classified in a simple, open way by making use of a steel portal structure over the entire length of the house. Sleeping areas, storage and sanitation are bundled. The living areas fill the open space and a corridor along the north side connects all functions on both levels.
Design and info © ARKS architecten
Images © Koen Van Damme
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