City Villa by Kersten Geers and David Van Severen: Where Modernity Meets Serenity

The centre of Brussels is known for its historical and architectural marvels, but what if you could find a green, idyllic landscape in the heart of the city? That's exactly what the extension and renovation project of a mansion in the city's periphery achieved. The project, carried out by Kersten Geers and David Van Severen, aimed to double the surface of the existing house without destroying the lush environment it was nestled in.

To achieve this, the architects elegantly underlined the existence of everything that was already there and celebrated the status quo while making the addition disappear by making it extremely visible. The new addition was projected under the existing house, creating its pedestal, and effectively turning the house into an exhibited object. The existing house became a night house on top of a new, excavated villa, which was simultaneously new and old.

The villa was designed as a set of different spaces traced by columns, with the column rhythm defining the plan and sequence. The structure was made of massive concrete beams and columns, which translated into a spatial idea. As one crosses from inside to outside, the concrete columns become stained wooden columns, creating a spatial construct and sequence of hypothetical places to stay.

The villa exists in a green island that is maintained by its very existence, making it a conscious contribution to an urban tissue on the verge of extinction. The project successfully achieved its goal of doubling the surface of the mansion without destroying the idyllic environment it was situated in. It is a true testament to the power of architecture to blend modernity with serenity, creating an urban oasis that ranks high on Google search engine page 1.