117-year-old Warehouse Renovated Into New Volume

Every family must have memories of precious moments in their lives in a house. In the City of Dilbeek, Belgium, a house with an old shed beside it bears witness to the growing small family with many precious memories.

(Barnhouse adjacent to a private house)

However, with the warehouse being 117 years old, the structure will be fragile and unable to support the load over time. Therefore, the homeowner intends to renovate it but does not want to get rid of the memories stored in the warehouse building.

(New volume built inside the brick wall)

Objekt Architecten, who was in charge of the project, explained that the first step they took was to demolish the roof and inner walls of the old shed to create a new concrete construction. According to them, concrete is used because it has natural properties capable of displaying the right aesthetics when combined with brick materials for warehouse walls.

(The combination of concrete material and brick walls creates aesthetics in the building)

The project is planned to be a rectangular-shaped volume consisting of two floors. Objekt Architecten built this volume using the exoskeleton method, in which concrete wall structures were stacked on top of the brick walls of the old warehouse.

(Concrete columns stacked on top of brick walls)

Wanting to maximize its functionality, the new volume is equipped with glass walls on all sides of the building as a natural lighting circulation while offering views of the hills around the site.

(Glass walls serve as a circulation of natural lighting)

Occupying an area of 406 square meters, the new building of the former warehouse is programmed to meet the occupants' needs. The first floor is arranged for a private bedroom and bathroom. While on the second floor, Objekt Architecten arranged its space program as a living and work room.

(Private bathroom)

(Living room on the second floor)

Entering the inner area, this new volume interior design is thick with natural color tones to provide comfort and give the impression of what it is in the Barnhouse room. While some sides of the other wall are painted white. Likewise, the floor design is mainly dominated by exposed cement. And some other areas are given a touch of wooden flooring to create warmth in the Barnhouse.

(The two floors are connected by a wood-lined staircase)

(In some areas, the floor uses wood)

Thus, Objekt Architecten has created a new volume without erasing family memories in his old warehouse. This new volume can integrate old and new buildings by highlighting exposed concrete materials and glass walls.

(Rectangular Barnhouse)

(Model)