Munkzwalm
Gaverbosdreef
9630 Zwalm
Belgium
- DENC-STUDIO
- Vandriessche Architecten
- aAd landschapsarchitecten
- Cobe
- Tech3
The design & build procedure started from an existing masterplan which roughly positioned building volumes and established a green framework. While inherently respecting its principles, our team—including developer Van Roey—brought its accumulated expertise to refine this scheme in terms of spatial qualities, buildability and marketability. We developed these ideas into an architectural design which combines plan efficiency with a coherent material language, allowing gentle differentiation while maximising the benefits of living in a green, car-free environment.
A connective tissue, a landscape interface
Like many villages in Belgium, Munkzwalm has not grown concentrically around a town centre but is more like a suburban “smear”: a ribbon development of houses and other structures proliferating along a busy thoroughfare. Ironically, this leaves one with a countryside village devoid of accessible green spaces. A wall of private development obstructs any interaction or visual links between the public realm of the street and the agricultural landscape beyond.
The project offers an opportunity to interweave buildings and greenery. Instead of proposing a parcellation of land with road infrastructure and buildings, the pedestrianised landscape is structured by two ecological corridors (north-south and east-west). These define a circulation network and open up links between main road and farmland, both visually and functionally. Two large basement carparks at the edges keep car traffic out of the development.
As such the project grounds function as a park for the town as well as a robust natural environment for the residents here. Buffering extreme conditions, the green-blue infrastructure increases climate resilience and supports sustainable water management.
Consistent variety
The site is divided into four plots. POLO develops the architecture for two of them. One plot contains two urban villas with apartments, 5 to 6 storeys high. They are distinguished by the usage of materials, with dark and light bricks being used in inverse ways for the two blocks.
These variations exemplify a guiding principle for the whole project; a limited material palette with 3 brick colours is applied and combined in different ways. Furthermore a toolbox of architectural elements is proposed to diversify the standardised building plans. These measures guarantee a visual continuity while leaving space for controlled differentiation and identifiable addresses.
Although similar in appearance, one urban villa contains social housing units, the other private market apartments. Throughout the development social and private housing are interwoven in these subtle ways, supporting a healthy mix of residents.
The second POLO plot contains 3 housing clusters, of which two are row houses for the public and private sector. A co-housing block forms the third cluster. Common facilities for the basic living units are located on the ground floor. With its striking concrete frame façade with gallery circulation, this innovative residential typology helps the project stand out as a forward-looking addition to the town of Munkzwalm.
