notan office combines bold geometries with angled windows in belgian residence

brussels-based architecture and urban design practice, notan office, combined geometries and angled windows for the triangle house in waterloo, belgium. the private residence for a small family has a characteristic triangular shape pointing towards the entrance, and then opening up to the garden. 

all images © nicolas delaroche / archives modernes

notan office oriented the residence’s main facade towards the south, where five windows line up on the curved façade, generating a continuously changing atmosphere. outside, the gorms create a variable and curvy shadow on the wall, on the inside, the effect produces an ever varying light. from its natural lighting and material palette, the project vibrates with time and seasons. 

natural white bricks, diverse brick apparatus, corrugated anodized steel, natural aluminum frames, concrete and wood all complement and reflect the surroundings. the combination of the circular façade with the triangular roof generates two covered terraces. in accordance with the site’s sun path, the house prevents it from overheating in the summer and allowing a comfortable interior temperature during the winter. 

the project is compact, yet highly functional and ample. in plan, shaped like half a square, the residence is an agglomeration of spaces, avoiding narrow, dark corridors. the living area is open but still capable to propose more intimate zones due to the curved geometry and scattered space-making elements. the chimney, the kitchen island and the wooden structural pillar articulates this fluid space. 

with a ceiling growing from a height of 2.5m to 4m, the living area becomes a dynamic environment. it is neither a loft nor a one story space, but lies at the grey area in between, combining the best of both atmospheres. the living room also serves as a buffer layer hosting the entrance, the circulation, the kitchen, the bathroom and all technical functions. it shields the house from the built environment, giving it increased independence.

project info:

design: notan office

location: waterloo, belgium

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: cristina gomez | designboom