BASTA
BASTA
Bringing new life and density to a 19th-century heritage townhouse
Year → Ongoing
Status → Construction
Team → de baes architects & Point Supreme
Area → 930 m²
Our client for this project asked us to transform a 19th-century heritage townhouse in Kortrijk’s city centre to add the density and mix-of-uses that drive sustainable urban growth. The existing building was a mid-block townhouse with a street-level restaurant whose ground-floor is half a level above grade.
The townhouse contributed to the city’s historic streetscape, but its heritage status and challenging spatial configuration made it difficult to adapt to the needs of a growing modern city. Any alterations would have to preserve the existing shell and roof trusses of the townhouse and integrate density without disrupting the historic character of the street.
Mediating new and old
We designed contemporary living spaces in the historic shell and added eight units as well as new residential volume. The apartments extend across the two structures, blending old and new. The new volume is set back from the old facade, sheathed in a curtain wall that creates terraces in the interstices, maximizing natural light and opening it to the surrounding city. The living spaces are set in the old building, while kitchens and bathrooms occupy the new annex. Throughout the design maintains openness in the apartments while creating compact units that make room for generous outdoor terraces.
Residents access the new tower through the existing townhouse, climbing a staircase that leads to a lobby. The stair core was shifted and reconfigured to support the new circulation pattern. The parts of the tower that extend beyond the original building are clad in a brick that relates to its materiality and texture, maintaining the character of the street.
