Address: Paliseul
Intervention: New build
Area: 178 m²
Status: Completed in 2018

Architecture: A2D architects
Interior design: A2D architects
Photography: Jelle Vans Photography


Designing a holiday home with flexible occupancy — from 2 up to 18 people — is no simple task. We opted for a sequence of well-proportioned spaces, allowing more or less living area to be used depending on the number of guests. For ecological reasons, the building is divided into three equally sized volumes, each limited in surface area and height. This allows for easy closure when not in use and ensures the whole blends into the scale of the surrounding environment.

The positioning of the volumes follows the natural terrain profile, resulting in minimal earthworks and a natural level difference of approximately 80 cm per unit. This approach ensures each interior space benefits from optimal natural light and extended sightlines. Furthermore, this layout creates a semi-enclosed inner courtyard that subtly refers to the local building typology.

The buildings are constructed using solid timber. All walls and roof panels were prefabricated in the workshop and delivered to the site as complete elements, already fitted with all necessary ducts and channels. The prefabricated wooden walls are sandblasted and white-lacquered on the interior. This finish accentuates the horizontal cladding — more or less — depending on seasonal expansion and contraction of the joints.

Both the façades and sloped roofs are finished with natural-colored timber cladding with open joints, allowing the architecture to be absorbed into the landscape. Ventilation follows a C+ system, rainwater is collected and reused, and heating is primarily provided by low-temperature underfloor heating.

Publication: Buitengewoon Belgisch Bouwen (nr.6 - May 2021).