VDWK, my home up north from far east to extreme West, BE

A surfing couple and their four children decided to leave the village of Lathem to move closer to the sea. Although Knokke is not exactly by the ocean, our challenge was to transform a traditional Knokke “fermette” (farmhouse) into a new type of home that would provide an outdoor lifestyle in a northern climate.

A surfing couple and their four children decided to leave the village of Lathem to move closer to the sea. Although Knokke is not exactly by the ocean, our challenge was to transform a traditional Knokke “fermette” (farmhouse) into a new type of home that would provide an outdoor lifestyle in a northern climate.

The villa is located alongside a golf course. While e had to meet stringent planning conditions and stick to a tight schedule, we were keen to integrate the villa into the landscape as much as possible and to preserve the natural views of this special environment. Our client had the intention to fitting and maximizing the project within the strict limits on volume that were permitted. This led us to develop a design that would make the most of the varied heights of the surrounding dunes, concealing the building among their multiple and complex slopes. Thatch is a natural material typical of the region that is also widely used in many parts of the world. Its malleability enabled us to create a unique style that blends perfectly with our northern maritime environment while bringing an aesthetic that is close to the large covered terraces and overhanging roofs found in architectural styles associated with the Far East. This surprising approach unexpectedly connected with our clients’ dreams, who love Bali but did not dare dream of bringing it to the Belgian Coast. This unstated dual identity gives the owners the feeling of being simultaneously at home and elsewhere, giving the building a timeless quality.

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