Conversion into a mixed-use building in Ottignies

In Ottignies, in the province of Walloon Brabant, STARC transformed a former café into a mixed-use building comprising two upper-floor apartments and a ground-floor commercial unit, in line with the city's urban densification objectives and the proximity of the railway station. The project introduces two two-bedroom dwellings suited to young couples or small families, in a neighbourhood that naturally encourages sustainable and active mobility.

The architectural approach centred on preserving as much of the existing building as possible, concentrating interventions on the rear. The street-facing façade retains its original character, with existing window openings and a central dormer that harmonises with the surrounding roofline. At the rear, the partial removal of an annexe opens up the narrow lane to light and air, while a slender external metal staircase provides independent access to the apartments. A new flat-roofed dormer, set flush with the rear façade, gives the top-floor apartment full ceiling height, a balcony and generous natural light in the living area.

Full re-insulation of the building, using internal insulation at garden-level and external insulation on the upper floors, secures thermal comfort for future occupants without reducing the width of the lane. The material palette draws on a light-toned render unifying all volumes, anthracite-coloured artificial slate roofing, anthracite-grey PVC window frames and a blue-stone plinth along the lane-side façade.

A seven-place covered bicycle storage room, accessible from the rear of the building, actively supports soft mobility in this well-connected district of Ottignies, Wallonia.

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