— Project intent
A precise answer to the site and programme.
In Sombreffe, in the province of Namur (Wallonia), STARC designed the interior renovation of a family home and the construction of a two-storey contemporary extension, replacing a former hayloft.
The extension is positioned at the rear left of the house, slightly projecting beyond the gable, with a simple and compact massing that slots neatly beneath the existing eaves line. By extending approximately fifty centimetres beyond the width of the main body, the new volume creates a harmonious transition between old and new. A pitched roof finished in matte black tiles echoes the language of the existing dwelling, while large glazed openings flood the new spaces with natural light and lend the whole project a distinctly contemporary feel. The side annex was raised and fitted with a flat EPDM roof edged in anthracite aluminium.
Materiality plays a unifying role throughout: vertically slatted timber cladding wraps both the extension and the annex, while the garden-facing facade receives external insulation clad in adhesive-fixed greige facing bricks, tying in with the rendered gables of the existing house. Light grey window frames ensure visual continuity across all volumes.
Internally, the layout was fully rethought to suit a growing family: an open-plan kitchen flowing into the new living area, a playroom, a generous entrance cloakroom, a master suite on the upper level and a dedicated home office. The project successfully balances everyday comfort, spatial fluidity and a considered integration into the surrounding built environment.
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