— Project intent
A precise answer to the site and programme.
In Bouge, in the province of Namur in Wallonia, STARC designed a residential complex of studios organised as two distinct building volumes, articulated through a logic of controlled compactness and thoughtful integration into the surrounding urban fabric. The lower volume features a vertical rhythm of pilasters framing panels with a warm mineral texture, while the taller volume is distinguished by a light render and horizontal openings, creating a differentiated reading of the ensemble that nonetheless maintains a coherent materiality rooted in limestone and fair-faced concrete tones.
The fenestration of the main volume follows a regular pattern of deep bays that cast shadow zones across the facade and filter natural light into the studio interiors. The depth of the window reveals generates a strong plastic relief in the composition and contributes to the quality of daylighting in the living spaces. The second volume benefits from continuous balconies that extend each studio outward and provide a measured transition between private space and the shared exterior domain.
The building is set back slightly from the street, allowing for a structured planted arrangement of ornamental species with a natural, unpruned form. This green filter establishes a visual distance from the road, enhances the privacy of ground-floor units and anchors the development within its residential context with restraint, without resorting to an opaque boundary enclosure.
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