Casa H
Brussels, Belgium
2011
CATEGORY
COMMERCIAL / COMPLETE RENOVATION
TEAM
COLOMBO ARCHITECTURE
SURFACE
98m2
STATUS
COMPLETED
This apartment, conceived for a young professional, occupies one floor of the ‘W De Koninck’s Building’ (1968), one of the last projects of great Belgian modernist and constructivist architect Louis Herman De Koninck, overlooking Avenue Louise in Brussels city centre. The character and history of the building were taken in consideration, as the desire of both client and architects was to recover the rationality of the original concept, lost as it was turned into offices.
The main priority was to exploit the brightness of the huge windows in such a way that no part of the considerably lengthy floor plan was left without natural light. In order to achieve this, glazed partitions with different levels of opacity have been used as walls. Curtains of varied thickness have been used for light control and to preserve intimacy.
The key piece of the project and the only added partition is a thick, bespoke storage unit that divides the entrance from the living area, converting the hall into a disguised walk-in-wardrobe. This made-to-measure, built-in storage is thought to highlight the monumental proportions of the recovered spaces.
The deep blue, boiserie-like, floor to ceiling cabinetry was designed to meet the client’s request to provide storage for clothing, accessories and sports equipment, as well as other home items.
Its lacquered panels’ rhythm conceals direct access to the bedroom from the main entrance through a double door, like a secret entry that keeps the room private and independent.
“CaSA not only helped me to make my dream come true, they made it look far much better that I could imagine, making my ideas compatible with my budged restrains, converting an office space into a brand new minimalist flat with a loft sprit”
— Hernan Ríos
