Bawada Residence by TOOP architectuur: A Modern Rural House with Underground Level in Damme, Belgium

Set in the rural outskirts of Damme, just ten minutes from Bruges, the Bawada Residence by TOOP architectuur redefines what it means to design a modern rural house with underground level. Located on the historical site of the former Fort Damme, the project tactfully bridges the past with a sensitive contemporary design that responds to context, terrain, and privacy.

Repositioning Architecture for Landscape Integration

The existing building on the plot failed to engage with its environment. TOOP architectuur responded by repositioning the new residence to enhance the experience of the surrounding gardens and to preserve the mature trees on site. The new placement reactivates the relationship between the building and the ‘polder’ landscape while creating clear spatial boundaries that maintain privacy from the nearby street and village center.

Blending Tradition and Innovation

Local building regulations required a pitched roof and materials that harmonize with the village's architectural language—limed bricks and reddish-brown roof tiles. Rather than replicate historical forms, TOOP architectuur embraced a contemporary reinterpretation. A defining move in the design is the integration of an active sous-terrain level, rendered almost invisible from the exterior. It gently emerges as a concrete “pedestal” due to the sloping terrain, becoming a subtle yet powerful foundation for the house above.

From the street, passersby catch only filtered glimpses of life inside, while the interiors enjoy open views over the rural pastures. This careful play of orientation and massing achieves both openness and seclusion.

Concrete, Light, and Atmosphere

The underground level is constructed using in-situ poured concrete with a wooden plank texture, giving the base a tactile material character that echoes the agricultural and fortification history of the area. Despite being underground, the space feels anything but closed. Generous light wells allow daylight to penetrate deeply, ensuring that the lower rooms feel bright and connected to the exterior.

Concrete walls continue into the interiors, visually and materially linking the landscape with the living spaces. The result is a calm, introspective zone below, ideal for rest and retreat.

From Introversion to Openness

A striking circular staircase links the lower and upper levels. It acts as both a sculptural and functional element, guiding residents to a more extroverted ground floor. This level houses the main living areas and is characterized by an open plan and large windows that frame the surrounding fields and sky.

The architecture maintains a humble posture through its material palette—warm woods, soft lighting, and unadorned finishes. These choices shift attention away from the building and towards the experience of being in the landscape. The design doesn't overpower its setting; it becomes part of it.

A Contemporary Take on the Rural Belgian Home

The Bawada Residence stands as a thoughtful example of how modern design can coexist with vernacular traditions. Rather than impose itself on the land, the house is embedded into it, using level changes and muted materials to minimize its impact and maximize its spatial potential.

This modern rural house with underground level is not only a home—it is an architectural statement that prioritizes context, landscape, and a deeply rooted sense of place. TOOP architectuur has created a project that merges quiet sophistication with rural sensitivity, establishing a timeless dialogue between architecture and environment.

All Photographs are works of Tim Van de Velde