Address: Brugge
Intervention: Renovation

Architecture: A2D architects/ Architectenatelier
Masterplan: Atelier Romain


The apartment building ‘De Leeuwerik’ is part of the new master plan, drawn up by Atelier Romain.
This standalone building is undergoing a complete renovation with a focus on circularity and high-quality living standards, and consists of 13 floors. The ground floor houses shared amenities, while the upper floors each contain 8 apartments.

During the renovation, the building will be completely stripped down to the concrete structure and load-bearing walls. This approach allows the existing apartments to be optimized to meet current legislation regarding accessibility and livability.

The choice to use lightweight partition walls and dry connection systems emphasizes the practical and flexible layout of the easily adaptable apartments.

Terraces will be added along the full length of the east and west façades, supported by their own column structure to provide additional space and living comfort to the apartments, while also giving the building a contemporary character. On both sides, a new extension will be added over the full height of the building, serving as a circulation core and containing emergency stairwells and a stretcher-accessible elevator. The soft, rounded design extends the façade and adds architectural value.

Activating the plinth with a social program
The ground floor retains the existing entrance halls and corridor with mailboxes, which will be restored. In addition to a complete reorganization, the ground floor will be supplemented with new functions such as a bicycle storage and a multipurpose space. By creating an active plinth and encouraging dynamic interaction between the interior and exterior, the social functions help to enhance the public space.

Sustainability
The completely new façade construction complies with current regulations and already takes into account the long-term renovation strategy of the Flemish Government for the continued reduction of heating needs. By over-dimensioning the insulation shell, the building’s energy consumption will be reduced, allowing for a lower capacity and smaller-scale technical installations.

Thanks to the favorable location of the construction site (a short distance from various production sites), there is an opportunity to use materials from short bio-based supply chains. For example, materials used include hemp-lime insulation, hemp blocks, clay-bound screed, and foam glass granules.

Technical installations
A ventilation system D enables heat recovery, further reducing energy consumption. Heat is generated using collective air-to-water heat pumps combined with solar panels on the roof and is used for underfloor heating.

Rainwater recovery is limited to the ground floor and is used for communal facilities.