't Notarishuys

Hotel “Notarishuys” is an expansion for an existing restaurant. The new building, conceived as a pavilion, holds a hotel containing 4 suites.
A 300 years old beech tree determines the atmosphere inside and outside throughout the season. Keeping and not harming this natural monument was vital to the design. Because of this, the building became linear, flanking the three. In order to apply a minimal impact on the surrounding, the whole building was placed 50cm beneath ground level.
A large part of the architecture is made out of glass, a transparency that allows all the light available to enter inside throughout the branches of the tree. An overall visibility of the garden remains and the architecture of the building disappears.
The presence of the building is reduced and merely defines spaces in terms of: in and out, in front of a wall, between a wall and glass, on one side of the inner (outer) space or the other, etc.
The inner space consist out of two wings which give access each to two suites. The centre consists out of a breakfast space and the access towards a common sauna. The suites are created around a central box that incorporates all technical requirements of the room and separates the sleeping zone from the open bathroom.

“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