Prins Leopold
While the composition of the street façade of this passive housing project in Borgerhout suggests one smaller and one bigger residence, the street plinth presents three front doors. The plinth presents a slight tonal difference compared with the main part of the façade and is topped off with its own cornice. The cornice establishes a connection to the slightly different neighbouring terraced houses with their piano nobile storeys. A complex plan and section configuration entangle the three residences to create optimal living conditions on a plot theoretically too small for three terraced houses, while still offering three individual street addresses. Delicately designed mundane figures such as ventilation, drainpipes and letter boxes add depth to the monochrome façade.
- Louis De Mey
Composite Presence at Biennale Architettura 2021
This project is part of the exhibition Composite Presence in the Belgian pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.
ono Architectuur: "The Prince Leopold in Borgerhout was built for three homes, on a lot typically intended for two buildings. Modest cemented façades set the context. The upper part of the building follows the surroundings, with a recognizable vertical fenestration that reflects the stacking of rooms behind.
We consider the plinth as a celebration of the actual everyday city life. As in an assembly, we bring all the needs together in a dense composition. Very small doors provide direct access to a sous-terrain with bicycle storage and an atelier. Very large window openings simultaneously address the question of proper interaction with the street and the issue of privacy."
