Concrete and glass house on Belgian coast designed as a minimal canvas
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Architecture studio i.s.m.architecten has created a seaside retreat in the Belgian costal town of Oostduinkerke for a busy Antwerp-based family. The concept, developed in partnership with designer Paul Ibens, combines two residences under one roof.
‘The first thing that struck us was the unique setting', explains Koen Pauwels of i.s.m.architecten. ‘The building plot is part of a dune landscape that extends into the neighbouring nature reserve. From the start, we wanted to respect the natural slope and the typical vegetation on the site and work with it, rather than against it. To give the building a modest appearance in this environment, we decided to partly embed it into the dune.'
A single, low volume, containing the two stacked residences, appears peeking from the undulating landscape. The top floor has a one-bedroom apartment for the parents, while the ground floor unit has a similar layout with two bedrooms for their grown-up children and their young families. A generously sized internal ‘street' provides access to both units and acts as a multifunctional space, to be shared by all inhabitants.
The facades consist solely of glass and prefabricated concrete panels; a series of protruding beams sets a prominent rhythm across the facade. The beams remain visible in the interior and they emphasize the linearity of the layout. ‘In both residences, all the rooms are lined up along a long corridor at the rear', explains Pauwels. ‘The south-facing front of the house is entirely opened with floor-to-ceiling windows and large terraces that stretch along the rooms. The monolithic rear facade, to the contrary, is closed and with just one carefully placed window that overlooks the back garden.'
The material palette is sober and unambiguous. Pauwels continues: ‘We have combined polished concrete floors in the living quarters and custom-made timber floors for the bedrooms with lime plaster on the walls and ceilings and oak veneered fixed furniture. The selective use of glass and stainless steel in the kitchen, adds detail to the interior. Our aim was to create a pure canvas for living, with the surrounding nature as the main attraction.'
INFORMATION
ismarchitecten.be (opens in new tab)
-
Elegant his and hers watches make romantic gifts all year round
Discover his and hers watches from Hublot, Montblanc, Vacheron Constantin and Tag Heuer
By Hannah Silver • Published
-
Anupama Kundoo on Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi’s legacy
Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi's recent passing shook the global architecture community; here, leading Indian architect Anupama Kundoo looks back at his legacy
By Anupama Kundoo • Published
-
Pictures from Home: photographer Larry Sultan’s domestic drama arrives on Broadway
Winner of ‘Best Adaptation’ in the 2023 Wallpaper* Design Awards, Pictures from Home at Studio 54 brings the memoir of American photographer Larry Sultan to Broadway, starring Nathan Lane, Danny Burstein and Zoë Wanamaker
By Sophie Gladstone • Published
-
Restored Villa Nisot in Brussels brings modernism to the 21st century
Restored Villa Nisot in Brussels updates modernism with contemporary character
By Siska Lyssens • Published
-
Year in review: top 10 houses of 2022, selected by Wallpaper* architecture editor Ellie Stathaki
Wallpaper’s Ellie Stathaki reveals her top 10 houses of 2022 – from modernist reinventions to urban extensions and idyllic retreats
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Wood Art Pavilion keeps its contents hidden from the world
Labscape’s Wood Art Pavilion is a secluded artist’s retreat in the leafy suburbs of Brussels, blending abstract shapes with natural light
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Belgian brick bungalow draws on Californian modernism
A new Belgian brick bungalow in the town of Zandhoven is designed by architect Hans Verelst as a nod to the modernist architecture of California
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Roz Barr’s terrace house extension is a minimalist reimagining
Terrace house extension by Roz Barr Architects transforms Victorian London home through pared-down elegance
By Nick Compton • Published
-
Tree View House blends warm modernism and nature
North London's Tree View House by Neil Dusheiko Architects draws on Delhi and California living
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Maison de Verre: a dramatic glass house in France by Studio Odile Decq
Maison de Verre in Carantec is a glass box with a difference, housing a calming interior with a science fiction edge
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Modernist Coromandel farmhouse refreshed by Frankie Pappas, Mayat Hart and Thomashoff+Partner
An iconic Coromandel farmhouse is being reimagined by the South African architectural collaborative of Frankie Pappas, Mayat Hart and Thomashoff+Partner
By Nick Compton • Last updated