A sculptural guesthouse pod by Atelier Vens Vanbelle appears in a Ghent garden
Belgian architecture studio Atelier Vens Vanbelle creates a sculptural residential outbuilding, the Alex Guesthouse, for a private client in Ghent
We all hope our houseguests have a positive and memorable stay, but the owner of a home in the outskirts of Ghent took the concept one step further by commissioning a bespoke folly in his generous garden, just for visitors. The architects, Dries Vens and Maarten Vanbelle, who head Ghent-based Atelier Vens Vanbelle, worked closely with their client, a film producer, to create the sculptural extension.
The quirky structure serves as part-guest house, part-screening room and part-lookout tower, folding several needs and functions into a single, smart design. The space feels at once cosy and domestic, but also mysterious, striking a rare architectural balance.
‘The only criterion was that the guests had to remember their stay forever’, say the architects. The design team describes a walk through the addition as a ‘cinematic experience’; a fitting concept, in line with the owner's specialisation and passion. The freestanding construction, which is clad in profiled Corten steel, is built in LVL wood and was designed as a single piece of furniture, whose main living spaces are internally lined in timber.
Inside, the guest area feels like a snug log cabin or grotto, while a spiral staircase leads down to an underground, dark and moody cinema and bar room; and up to a quirky watchtower balcony that overlooks the garden and surrounding foliage.
A version of this article originally appeared in the April 2020 issue of Wallpaper* (W*253)
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Three new coffee makers for a contemporary brew, from a casual cup to a full-on branded espresso
Three new coffee makers, from AeroPress, Jura and Porsche x La Marzocco, range from the defiantly manual to the bells and whistles of a traditional countertop espresso machine
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Don't miss Luxembourg's retro-futuristic lab pavilion in Venice
As the Venice Biennale enters its last few weeks, catch 'A Comparative Dialogue Act' at the Luxembourg Pavilion
By Amah-Rose Abrams Published
-
A Berlin park atop an office building offers a new model of urban landscaping
A Berlin park and office space by Grüntuch Ernst Architeken offer a symbiotic relationship between urban design and green living materials
By Michael Webb Published
-
The Duho Pavilion by Limbo Accra immerses us into its Caribbean setting
The Duho Pavilion by Limbo Accra is a Cayman Islands landscape project that celebrates the Indigenous Caribbean Taino people
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Remembering Alexandros Tombazis (1939-2024), and the Metabolist architecture of this 1970s eco-pioneer
Back in September 2010 (W*138), we explored the legacy and history of Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, who this month celebrates his 80th birthday.
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Green Ark, a new garden pavilion from modified softwood, is conceived for plant conservation
The Green Ark, set in the heart of Belgium's Meise Botanic Garden, is an ultra-sustainable visitor pavilion by NU Architectuur Atelier
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Residence Norah is a modernist Belgian villa transformed to its owner’s needs
Residence Norah by Glenn Sestig in Belgium’s Deurle transforms an existing gallery space into a flexible private meeting area that perfectly responds to its owner’s requirements
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
A first look at Serpentine Pavilion 2024: ‘It really is an archipelago’
The Serpentine Pavilion 2024 opens its doors and we catch up with its architect, Minsuk Cho of Mass Studies, to talk about the design’s origins, concept and future travels
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Sun-drenched Los Angeles houses: modernism to minimalism
From modernist residences to riveting renovations and new-build contemporary homes, we tour some of the finest Los Angeles houses under the Californian sun
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Emerald Screen Pergola brings wonder and intrigue to an everyday setting in China
Designed by Wutopia Lab, Emerald Screen Pergola is a pavilion designed to inject ‘magical realism’ into the everyday, nodding to ancient Chinese practices
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Bruges Triennial 2024 takes over the city with contemporary art and architecture
Bruges Triennial 2024, themed 'Spaces of Possibility', considers sustainability and liveability within cities, looking towards a greener future
By Ellie Stathaki Published