The perfect
partnership
partnership
Real estate developer Fenixco & Architectural design studio Moea: the perfect partnership
As a developer of high-end residential real estate, Fenixco prides itself on sustainable collaborations, including their partnership with architect Jeremy Godenir from architectural design studio MOEA. They previously realized Fenixhof in Ghent together. Currently, Fenixco and MOEA are shaping the residential renovation project Coupure, also in Ghent.
As children, Jeremy was already good friends with Hélène and Henry Bostoen, who now jointly lead Fenixco.
“Hélène was my sparring partner in tennis, and I also had a good bond with her brother. We were close but lost touch. Henry and Hélène didn’t actually know I was an architect until they accidentally discovered my name in their search for an architect.”
“We are renovating the classic townhouse with respect.
We retain many historical elements. We restore the facade to its original glory.”
Historic Corner Building Restored to Its Original Glory
After that initial successful cooperation, Fenixco and MOEA have been working together for two years to realize the ambitious Coupure project. They are renovating an existing, historic corner building.
“Historian Anneleen Cassiman researched the history of the building. The house, Coupure 298, was built in 1874-1875 on the site of a recently demolished cotton mill. In 1920, the property came into the possession of the de Hemptinne family, who realized the bay window and extension at the back in 1927, according to a design by L & P Gildemeyn. Despite these renovations, the floor plan and interior layout of this 19th-century house remained well preserved.”
“For the current design, we based ourselves on old drawings to restore the facade. Inside, we are restoring classical elements such as the moldings and the beautiful chimney pieces. The building has a classic, logical layout that we appreciate and retain.”
“Next to this beautiful building is a small adjacent building, which we are demolishing and replacing. We integrate the bathrooms into the existing building, but all other technology is situated in the new adjacent building. Think of the kitchens, storage rooms, entrance, technical shaft, elevator, and car lift.”
“A building should not only bring something to its residents but also to the city in which it stands. The building must also give something back to the city.”
High-End Residential Quality over Quantity
The minds behind real estate developer Fenixco and architectural design studio MOEA share not only a tennis court but also a strong vision on the livability of the residential real estate projects they realize together.
“What I greatly appreciate about the owners of Fenixco is that they do not want to extract the maximum number of units. They seek quality of life, especially in this renovation project. Although modest, they treat each project with a certain pride and dignity, and that is what I also do.”
“Fenixco renovates with vision and wants future residents to love living there, and that everyone who visits feels immediately comfortable. With the Coupure renovation project in Ghent, we are creating five living units: three large apartments, one duplex, and one large studio. Fenixco could have chosen more units but decided that each resident should optimally enjoy the unique location and beautiful view.”
Fenixco pays great attention to the housing needs of today and tomorrow, and thus creates homes that perfectly meet those needs. In short, every residential project Fenixco realizes is also a place where the owners would be happy to live. They settle for nothing less.
Refined Architecture, Added Value for Ghent
In terms of style, company owner Henry and architect Jeremy also understand each other.
“We chose a fairly classic and refined design language, with columns and architraves. The three openings in the new building, with the entrance and car lift on the ground floor, are repeated in the recessed terraces, the sliding windows, and the recessed upper floor.”
“We deliberately limited the number of materials to avoid an eclectic whole. The design language must come into its own. We are working with high-quality cementing and want to fully customize a prefabricated concrete with a rougher grain. The windows are made of aluminum and wood. By avoiding an excess of materials and colors, we keep the whole calm.”
“In a renovation project, practical challenges always arise, which can sometimes greatly influence a design.”
“To solve the lack of parking, we work with a car lift. At the request of the City of Ghent, I designed a parking system with a transparent fence that provides a nice view of the inner area of this renovation project. We chose an English courtyard, where you can go outside on level minus one and then go up a staircase to the ground floor.”
“Currently, I am working on a design series inspired by the early period of modernism, combined with a contemporary architect. For Coupure, it is David Chipperfield and the beautiful, pure style he used for the Neues Museum in Berlin.”
Aesthetics Brings Calm, Views Inspire
Modernism forms the starting point for Jeremy’s designs. He attaches great importance to aesthetics, to living in beauty.
“Aesthetics can bring calm because things are proportioned and balanced in a certain way. I am sensitive to that. In certain spaces, I get nervous. Architecture is always a product of the zeitgeist, but I find it important that a design can survive several generations. Then it is worth continuing to build on the aesthetic durability that is already present. That is what we are also doing with the Coupure renovation project.”
“I often base the layout on the view. For Coupure, for example, we entered an aerial photo of Ghent into the design program to see from where, on the top floor, you can see the three towers. That does not necessarily mean that I go for a lot of glass. Sometimes I consciously frame certain views like a painting because they then gain importance. I consciously focus on the main eyecatchers and give them the extra attention they deserve.”
Coupure, the Work of Friends
Working with your childhood friends sounds like a dream.
“What I really appreciate about Henry and Hélène is their always positive attitude. They think in solutions. Coupure is a complex project where we have to coordinate a lot with the City of Ghent, but they approach it very positively.”
“They like to think along, but at the same time, they give me the necessary design freedom. Make no mistake, Fenixco is a family business, but the third generation at the helm of the company takes on fairly large construction projects. They are very modest and work hard. Because I have known the owners of Fenixco for a long time, I have the privilege of working directly with Henry, which I greatly appreciate.”
To realize high-end residential construction projects, the owners of Fenixco resolutely choose to establish long-term collaborations with suppliers they personally know or with whom they have an instant connection. This approach and vision also translate into the quality of the delivered residential construction projects.
“In many contemporary buildings, I miss the layers or hierarchy. There is no story, no beginning, and no end.”
Layered Real Estate in Ghent
Jeremy lives in Ghent and has already realized many projects in the city. His ongoing projects are also all located in Ghent. He has a clear vision of Ghent architecture.
“It is important not to create a flatline in the city. A spatial implementation plan (RUP) states how high buildings can be. The result is that most developers and architects go for that maximum height. This often loses the undulating skyline with its beautiful shadows, so characteristic of a city like Ghent. A city is always a mix of buildings, styles, and classes. If building layers were prescribed instead of maximum height, you would get a different design in many places, making it easier to realize that mix.”
Sexy City, Luxuriant Water
“Ghent has great appeal. The water running through the city, the many historic buildings, … You find many young people, students, innovative companies here. Culturally, it is also very rich. It is a pity that so many buildings above shops are empty. That is worth studying because those shopping streets are very quiet in the evening.”
“What I miss in some new city parts in Ghent is the thoughtful placement of shops and other amenities. In Denmark, they think more extensively about this. It is determined in advance where the hairdresser and the bakery will be. When you live in a city, you want everything around the corner and not have to go from your own neighborhood to the center for shopping or a drink.”
High-End Real Estate, Perfect Blend with Ghent
Fenixco always selects places that are easily accessible, close to supermarkets, schools, and cultural institutions. They prefer a green, quiet environment, where bike paths and public transport are never far away. Here, they realize sustainable and future-oriented residential projects tailored to a constantly changing society together with their clients.
Jeremy looks forward to realizing the Coupure renovation project in beauty with real estate developer Fenixco.
Under the motto, a building should not only bring something to its residents but also give something back to the city, Fenixco is determined to create a real home out of this former mansion, Coupure Gent, in collaboration with architectural design studio MOEA, with an optimal location and high-quality materials. In short, ready for the future.