Of the original structure of this small fisherman’s house in the dunes, only the masonry ground floor walls were retained. Together, they formed a cruciform floor plan that guided the new design. The architect placed four large, expressive gabled roof volumes on top of it, referencing the vernacular architecture of the coastal region. The 5-layer CLT (cross-laminated timber) was particularly well-suited to this project due to its high strength compared to a conventional roof frame. Each of the four roof volumes is a prefabricated triangular CLT structure. Two steel beams were suspended at the ridge of the CLT structure and in turn support the timber floor of the first level. During prefabrication, all necessary openings and recesses were integrated into the CLT panels, allowing the house to be assembled on site within just a few days. By keeping the interior face of the panels in visible finish quality, the wooden structure becomes an essential and expressive feature of the interior.

Wood Design Building Award (honorable mention) International Design Category : reconstruction of a weekend house, Sint-Idesbald (PVT-14-STI), architect : Vantieghem Talebi GmbH