— Project intent
A precise answer to the site and programme.
In Dongelberg, in the Walloon Brabant province of Belgium, this residential transformation project by STARC architecture firm embraces a clear dialogue between an existing heritage dwelling and a boldly contemporary extension. The original house, built in white-painted brick with a pitched roof and arched window openings, provides the historic foundation of the project. Rather than mimicking its architectural vocabulary, the design assumes the full contemporaneity of the new intervention, articulating a new volume clad in vertical anthracite metal panels and brushed copper cladding that brings warmth and depth to the facade.
The relationship between the two volumes is legible from the street. The new building mass takes its cue from the pitch of the existing roof while amplifying its height, creating a taut, curved silhouette that enters into dialogue with the original structure without dissolving into it. The glazing strategy of the new volume deliberately contrasts with the regular rhythm of the historic openings: large glazed surfaces on the side elevation and a vertical composition on the main facade ensure generous natural light reaches the bedrooms and home office housed beneath the new roofline.
On the garden side, a wide glazed opening strengthens the connection between interior and exterior, extending the living spaces directly onto the terrace and anchoring the project in its immediate natural environment. The restrained and precise materiality of the whole ensures a coherent architectural identity that honours the memory of the existing building while meeting contemporary residential expectations in Wallonia.
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