SOCIAL HOUSING OUWEGEMSESTEENWEG VOLT ARCHITECTEN

THE “OUWEGEMSESTEENWEG” IS A ROAD THAT CONNECTS THE SMALL VILLAGE OF “OUWEGEM” WITH THE N60, WITH “ZINGEM” AND WITH “KRUISHOUTEM”. THE ROAD IS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF THE FLEMISH RIBBON DEVELOPMENT. ON A RESIDUAL PLOT ALONG THE “OUWEGEMSESTEENWEG”, 14 SOCIAL HOUSING UNITS ARE DEVELOPED: A MIX OF FAMILY HOUSING, HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED AND 4 SMALL APARTMENTS. COMBINED WITH CARPORTS AND STORAGE ROOMS, THESE UNITS CREATE ONE SPATIAL ENTITY OVERLOOKING THE FIELDS BEHIND THE PLOT. A MONUMENTAL GATE SERVES AS THE ENTRANCE TO THE COURTYARD. THE COURTYARD ITSELF IS USED TO CREATE A NEW PASSAGE TO A TYPICAL FLEMISH COBBLESTONE ROAD THAT IS SITUATED BEHIND THE PROJECT SITE. THE LINKING OF THE DIFFERENT UNITS WILL INCORPORATE THE HEIGHT DIFFERENCE OF 2M THAT IS PRESENT ON THE PLOT. THE PROJECT AS A WHOLE IS A HYBRID FORM OF THE MORE TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL ARCHITECTURE: A SERIES OF DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, CENTERED AROUND A COURTYARD, WITH THE COMPLEX ONLY BEING ACCESSIBLE THROUGH A GATE. THIS HISTORICAL FORM OF ARCHITECTURE CONTAINS A CERTAIN LOOSENESS AND SPONTANEITY IN ITS DESIGN, WHICH IS USED AS AN ADVANTAGE AND IS ALSO A DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC IN THIS PROJECT.