A Former School Transformed Into A Contemporary Home

This Ghent house was made of a former school built in 1908, and the designers managed to outplay all the spaces and layout

This Ghent house was made of a former school built in 1908, and the designers managed to outplay all the spaces and layout

Repurposing and renovating old buildings is a modern trend, which helps to save money and give a new life to an old space. Today’s home that we are featuring used to be a school, which was built in 1908, and was renovated into a contemporary home by Atelier Vens Vanbelle.

There are various arched spaces that extend between the original windows and a new living room. A key issue was how to integrate the large arched windows facing onto the street into the design keeping the spaces private at the same time. The designers decided to create tube-like spaces aligned with these glazed surfaces. The privacy of the first floor was maintained with one-way glass, which still provides the spaces with natural light.

The first of the openings forms the main entrance from the street. The second extruded space contains a kitchen, and the area culminating in the final window accommodates an office. The deep walls between the carved spaces incorporate key functional features, such as appliances, worktops and storage in the kitchen, and a desk and shelving in the office.

A space between the entrance hallway and the kitchen conceals a toilet and a staircase that leads up to the first floor, and down to a partly submerged basement level providing additional storage and a laundry room.

The interiors feature features a contrasting palette of raw, untreated materials that lend it a tactile and lived-in feel: brick walls, exposed steel beams, untreated materials and timber. The furnishings are modern and rather simple, there are some colorful touches like a sunny yellow sofa and you can see cool industrial pieces like chairs ad a dining table.

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The spaces are done with raw materials for a texture, this bathroom is done in orange for a cheerful feel

The spaces are done with raw materials for a texture, this bathroom is done in orange for a cheerful feel

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The kitchen was done in white and furnished with sleek white cabinets, the tiles are neutral

The kitchen was done in white and furnished with sleek white cabinets, the tiles are neutral

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The entryway is done with an arched glass door, there are comfy storage cabinets

The entryway is done with an arched glass door, there are comfy storage cabinets

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The dining space is created with an industrial dining set, metal chairs and a wooden table, the living room is defined with a bold yellow L-shaped sofa

The dining space is created with an industrial dining set, metal chairs and a wooden table, the living room is defined with a bold yellow L-shaped sofa

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The bedroom id done with a soft bed, some furniture and glazed walls to bring the light inside

The bedroom id done with a soft bed, some furniture and glazed walls to bring the light inside

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Steel beams, plaster, wood, metals are used to make the spaces look lived-in and interesting

Steel beams, plaster, wood, metals are used to make the spaces look lived-in and interesting

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The facade is covered with one-way glass, which keeps privacy while bring light inside

The facade is covered with one-way glass, which keeps privacy while bring light inside

Source: dezeen