Residence VDB

The river Leie, that runs through the historic city Ghent is well known for its leisure boating. A bit further downstream from the city centre of Ghent, many boats reduce throttle or come to a full stop to have a look at a residence, quite different from the other houses along the river. Amidst a golf terrain like garden lies a sculptural concrete bachelor pad, grafted on the lifestyle of its owner.
The view from the river shows a long floating horizontal concrete framework that defines the ground floor, inside as well as outside. The ground floor holds all day functions, the pool area, and pool house. A second smaller concrete volume contains the master bed & bath room and two extra bed / bath rooms.

“The work of the Russian artist Malevich transcends the figurative, the narrative, the identifiable… to attain an abstract dimension of both mathematical and artistic concepts like proportion, dimension, modulation, composition, balance ... With suprematism he meant the domination of the pure emotional experience in art.

We also aim to attain this abstraction, this transcendence … in our schemes, ever starting from a functional analysis of the programme and the surroundings, along with artistic vision, resulting in an authentic concept that remains linked to its content and location.”

2010 Winner architectural award Belgian Coast‘Ark#01’ BE
2011 Winner Awards & Special award Civic Trust Awards, UK
2012 Winner Record Houses 2012 Architectural Record US
2012 Winner Leaf Awards category Residential Building of the year (Single Occupancy) UK
2013 Winner IDA Awards Los Angeles met 2 silver awards US
2013 Winner “House Of The Season” AI magazine, Israel
2013 Winner 2 awards Iconic Awards with “Notarishuys” in category Public & “Euroinvest” in category corporate, DE
2014 Winner award Civic Trust Awards with “Kazematten Ypres in category international projects, UK
2014 Winner award Febe Awards with “Enjoy Concrete” Veurne in category “Precast in Buildind”, BE
2014 Winner IDA Awards Los Angeles with bronze award for “ Enjoy Concrete, HQ” in category New Commercial Building, US
2015 Nomination AR MIPIM Future Projects Awards with “Golden Ratio “ in Ghent in category Residential, UK
2016 Winner Architizer A+ Awards with “ Golden Ratio “ in Ghent in category Unbuilt Residential, US
2017 Winner IDA Awards with “Residence VDB” in Ghent in category new residential building, US
2020 Winner “Domus International Awards” university Ferrara, IT