A Striking Home in the Flemish Countryside Cuts an Otherworldly Silhouette

In Brakel, Belgium, local firm Graux & Baeyens Architecten proves that vernacular and contemporary architecture can harmoniously coexist.

Oct 5, 2021 - 01:51

A Striking Home in the Flemish Countryside Cuts an Otherworldly Silhouette

In Brakel, Belgium, local firm Graux & Baeyens Architecten proves that vernacular and contemporary architecture can harmoniously coexist.

When Goere and Evie, a couple in their forties, purchased a small countryside plot about 45 minutes from Ghent, Belgium, the duo approached Graux & Baeyens Architecten and gave the local firm carte blanche to design their new home.

"They wanted an open house," says architect Basile Graux, who founded the Ghent-based practice with architect Koen Baeyens. "Usually we have clients who have children or want to have children, but they said the house should be designed only for them."

While Goere and Evie’s brief wasn’t strict, local regulations in the area required that all new homes must be built with two stories and a pitched roof. Fortunately, this wasn’t a problem for the architect or the couple: "We like making a combination of vernacular and contemporary architecture," says Graux. "We felt that this blend could work from the beginning."