An Architect’s Dramatic, Half-Buried Home in Belgium Wants $1.6M
In 1996 Belgian architect Juul Van Leysen, founder of the firm Holistic Architecture, designed this family home to cut into the slope of its countryside location. Reading like a bunker tucked into the landscape, the ivy-lined, concrete structure fans outward as it emerges from the hillside, revealing a full-length glass facade along the end.
Architect Juul Van Leysen designed his Belgian home to hunker in the ground. The brutalist-style structure slowly rises out of the slope, fanning outward to meet a dramatic glass facade.
Inside, Van Leysen embraced a brutalist aesthetic with exposed concrete walls contrasted with wood-paneled ceilings and natural stone floors. The timeless mix of materials extends throughout the interior, which is flooded with natural light thanks to the double-height glass facade.
A look at the home's main entrance at the top of the sloping lot. All of the home's concrete walls were cast on site using industrial construction techniques.
Located near the Dutch border east of Brussels, the home’s one-and-a-half-acre lot provides a quiet setting overlooking a protected nature reserve. The nearly 5,000-square-foot home offers four bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as an office and multiple living areas. Keep scrolling to see more of the property, currently listed for €1,495,000 (or about $1,664,000).
The main foyer immediately reveals the home's brutalist style. Unfinished concrete walls contrast with wood ceilings and granite-tiled flooring.
Upon entering the foyer, the home also unveils the double-height glass wall running along the end. A few stairs lead down to the open living area.
To the left, a small loft is currently used as an office, while another loft area is used as a library and seating area. Glass railings add to the seamless, open feel of the space.
A look back toward the main entrance from which both of the home's two side walls begin to fan outward as they emerge from the hillside.
The minimalist kitchen complements the rest of the home with simple cabinetry, granite countertops, and a built-in wooden dining table. The open space seamlessly flows together with the large living room and formal dining area.
The double-height glass allows natural light to seep into the residence while framing views of the surrounding nature reserve. The home's minimal materials unites all of the spaces.
Another set of stairs lead up from the kitchen to the two loft spaces. Circular skylights are carved into the ceiling, reading as circular shafts bringing natural light into the bunker-like habitation.
A look at one of the home's four bedrooms. This one overlooks the backyard and features a large sliding glass door and Juliet balcony.
The spa-like master bathroom continues the sleek aesthetic with a floating vanity, granite tile, and a free-standing soaking tub.
The home's unique curved walls fan outward along the exterior, with landscaping and patios designed to embrace the shapes. A broad wooden overhang appears as an architrave-like cap on the concrete form.
St.-Amandusstraat 5 is currently listed for € 1,495,000 by Kristof Welleman of ArchitectenWoning.
Know of a home for sale or rent that should be featured on Dwell.com? Find out how to submit to Dwell.
Published
Topics
Real EstateGet the Real Estate Newsletter
From midcentury classics to the best contemporary spaces for sale, see the latest listings for modern homes on the market around the world.