VILLA MQ Tremelo

In Tremelo, in the province of Flemish Brabant, an atypical house arouses curiosity. However, behind the intriguing, elegantly curved façade, a normal family life takes place in peace. Thanks to the sophisticated design of Office O Architects, it was not necessary to make choices between architectural object and functional living spaces.

 

Behind Villa MQ is a unique story. The clients only had one request when they turned to the Ghent architects OOA | Office O architects: they wanted an organic architecture.

 

"The question was very clear," explains Magalie Munters, "the customers wanted something special, but also a family home where life is good." Architecturally, the designers were given carte blanche. The clients imposed a very short implementation period. The house, even with its organic forms, is fully in accordance with the urban development regulations.

 

LIKE A SPIRAL SHELL
On the street side, the visitor faces a facade that apparently has no openings whatsoever. The facade runs parallel to the road and stands on top of a slope. A wide slope and a staircase gently descend to the entrance of the house. The form is pure and full of character. The pronounced curvature gives the facade a certain sensuality. This movement is a harbinger of life that takes place behind the walls, as a spiral-shaped shell offers shelter to the animal that lives in it. The house turns its back on the street and focuses on the interactions between the interior spaces.

 

BRINGING AN ARCHITECTURAL OBJECT TO LIFE
OOA | Office O architects has succeeded in merging family life with formality. “We not only had to think about relationships and other aesthetic aspects, but primarily to create homeliness, a home in which a family can live comfortably. A 3D study and visualization has been made for every room in the house. Nothing has been left to chance ”, the architect explains.


THE VERSATILITY OF CONCRETE Beton immediately insisted on the implementation of the project. "Without concrete we would have been more difficult to realize the organic character and complex forms of the house," the architect explains. “We love the possibilities of concrete. At the same time it offers a solution for structural, aesthetic and technical implementation issues. ”Contrary to what one would expect, Villa MQ's structural work did not require the application of special techniques: concrete and classical reinforcement did the work. The complex, curving shapes were carefully prepared by us, so that implementation could be simple and quick.   A STAIR AS A CENTRAL SPINDLE The entrance to the house is discreetly hidden in the landscaped slope. The first level is half underground. There are the entrance hall, the access to the floors, the parents' bedroom (with bathroom and view of the garden) as well as the storage rooms and the garage. The stairs lead to the kitchen and the dining room, the living room and finally the children's bedrooms and their bathroom upstairs. Specifically, the house consists of a chain of five half-floors connected by a spectacular central staircase in steel with a parapet of parabolic cables. The staircase separates and connects the various functions.