The old well-known house on the corner was severely worn down and was a thorn in the flesh. In a partnership with the architectural firm SUM, the aim was to set up a project that, in contrast to the old building, could become a landmark in Ghent.

The project consisted of stripping the building completely and reintegrating it into the urban landscape. On the ground floor and the first two floors, a double-height retail space with mezzanine was provided, on top of which 9 apartments were created.

Efforts were made to integrate the project seamlessly into the existing urban context. For this reason, a subtle architecture was proposed, which did not bustle, but instead sought to connect with its neighbours.

The existing rhythm of the facade was retained and extended to the ground floor. In the new, more performant facade, the former vertical structure is also clearly present, albeit in contemporary language of forms. In addition to their aesthetic and insulating function, the vertical fins also have an important key function. Thanks to the internal light fittings, this vertical facade construction is given extra prominence. The building at the corner of the Kortedagsteeg and the Vogelmarkt was transformed more drastically. The street corner was straightened into a new head volume. With the right angle we realized a fully-fledged facade on both the Vogelmarkt and the Kortedagsteeg. Here the glass mass of the building was broken through by the balconies and on the lower floors the retail volume was extended.