Habitation Mathieu / Crahay & Jamaigne

Architects: Crahay & Jamaigne
Location: Thy-le-Bauduin, Belgium
Lead Architects: Jean-François Crahay & Guy Jamaigne
Collaborator: Solange Dumez
Area: 113.0 m2
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Laurent Brandajs

Text description provided by the architects. Given the sun’s course at the back of the lot and the sloping plot configuration, the project proposes a different concept of a traditional habitat. The entrance to the house is made by a semi-buried level in contact with the road (entrance / cloak room / cellar / car-port for one car / bicycle storage and garden) and the living areas are located on the first floor (living room / back kitchen / dog area / games for children). Upstairs, (sleeping areas / dressing rooms / bathrooms) allows access to the back of the garden by a slightly sloping footbridge. It allows the children to access directly at the field level. The two lavatories are accessible from each landing of the staircase.

The building fits perfectly in the natural slope of the landscape. The house is corbelled on the ground floor, and protected of overheating by the first floor. It creates an outdoor area which is covered by the corridor to the garden. The landscaping of the surroundings (on the street side) allows some space for two to three parking spots for visitors.

The project was studied in the interests of sustainable development and economy of energy (materials, insulation and construction techniques), both on the means and the methods of construction, for short and long term usage.