Single-storey timber-frame extension in Tamines

In Tamines, in the province of Namur (Wallonia), architecture firm STARC designed a single-storey timber-frame extension to a terraced house set along the building line of a dense, homogeneous urban fabric. The existing street-facing facade is preserved in its entirety, while the architectural intervention is developed exclusively at the rear of the plot, entirely out of sight from the public space, allowing a confident contemporary expression without disrupting the surrounding traditional red-brick streetscape.

The ground-floor extension, approximately 26 m² in area, takes the form of a compact and precise timber-frame volume grafted onto the main body of the house. The lightweight and controlled construction logic of timber minimises the footprint on the plot while delivering a spatial quality well suited to the programme. The glazing is oriented towards the rear courtyard to capture natural light and establish a direct visual and physical relationship between the extended living space and the outdoor area.

The courtyard and terrace constitute the third element of the project, conceived as a transitional space between the built volume and the back of the plot. Their ground treatment ensures visual and functional continuity between the interior of the extension and the landscaped exterior, reinforcing the permeability between the two. The result is a coherent ensemble in which the existing building, the timber extension and the outdoor space engage in dialogue through a logic of discreet integration and material restraint.

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