Collective Housing Lokeren
The collective housing project integrated in the historic city fabric of a middlescaled post-industrial city demands for a strong gesture. The difference of typologies and the specific physical environment are translated into one monolithic sculpture which interacts with the daily life of the citizens. One material as general solution for all specific conditions. One detail as solution for all details.
This project provides a renewed link between two residential areas. In a densely populated part of Lokeren center, built with small workers' houses along narrow streets, a new housing project is being carried out by means of a number of actions which cause revitalization of the environment.
A new housing block is placed 2 m behind the current building line, which creates air and light in the narrow street. A spacious underpass gives access to the interior area, which functions as a center and access to the houses. This crossconnection creates more contact with the neighborhood, the residents and the surrounding functions.
The houses are divided into two large halves. A big volume at the Zelestraat consists of a mixture of ”traditional” houses with front-door and private garden and duplexes with spacious private terraces. The intermediate level contains all bedrooms. To the other side there is another residential area where we find a number of homes for the elderly, linked upstairs with apartments for young families.
This configuration is adaptable in time, while the yellow-brick-volumetry gives long-lasting identity to the whole environment.
Y.M. | K.V.
Yves Malysse, born 1973 in Belgium. Studied architecture at the St-Lucas Ghent. Worked for Robert Winkel, MVRDV and artist Bart Clement until 2004. Guest professor at TU Delft and Academy Rotterdam until 2011. Professor at the KUL LUCA Brussels & Ghent since 2014. Started URA Yves Malysse Kiki Verbeeck in 2002.
Kiki Verbeeck, born 1974 in Belgium. Studied architecture at the St-Lucas Ghent and Architectural Sciences at the KU Leuven. Worked for uapS, OMA, LABFAC, Baines and Advisers until 2004. She was professor for architectural design at the KU Leuven from 2010 till 2014. Started URA Yves Malysse Kiki Verbeeck in 2002.
Collective Housing, Lokeren, Belgien, 2015
Foto: Filip Dujardin