— Project intent
A precise answer to the site and programme.
In Tourinnes-la-Grosse, in the province of Walloon Brabant, STARC architecture firm has designed the conversion of a former telecommunications building into seven residential units, retaining the compact massing and steeply pitched gable roof that already read as a familiar landmark in the rural village landscape.
The architectural approach is built around a carefully controlled dialogue between the inherited materiality of red brick and the introduction of a white render on the garden facade, which signals, without disruption, the interior reorganisation of the dwellings. This chromatic and material distinction structures the rhythm of the elevations and allows the new volumetric arrangement to be legible from the outside while remaining in continuity with the building's original character. The fenestration, reorganised into horizontal bands at ground level and regular openings on the upper floor, ensures a considered penetration of natural light into each unit.
The building's setback from the plot boundaries preserves a generous belt of vegetation at the rear, establishing a calm relationship between the transformed structure and the shared garden. The existing roof is retained and punctuated with roof lights that extend natural light to the upper levels. Taken together, the project reflects a commitment to architectural restraint, favouring the reasoned transformation of existing built fabric over demolition and reconstruction, and demonstrating the residential potential that underused technical buildings can hold in Wallonia's rural villages.
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