Maple & Mint Kortrijk
Discreet new neighbours in the historic streetscape
The architecture of the two slender and massive new buildings at Plein in Kortrijk is subordinate, without much ornamentation. It forms a neutral canvas for the historical surroundings, taking over elements of it, translated to today.
A varied and vertical percelation was worked out, in terms of dimensions in unity with the existing situation. The application of ‘shutters’ in the slender, vertically oriented facades refers to the shutters that can be found in many historical buildings in the (wider) environment. These contemporary variants provide privacy and shelter from wind and weather, but also create a classic vertical articulation in relation to the storey height. They also determine the simple appearance of the facade.
| Location | Kortrijk |
| Client | Building Stories |
| Programme | Mixed |
| Architect | TM Link Lab & Markland |
| Interior Design | Stay Studio |
| Structural engineer | Peritas |
| Technical engineer | Cobe |
| General contractor | Govaere Bouw |
| Status | Start of the construction - juni 2021 |
| Surface | 2.515 m² |
Implantation in the historical context
The present design relates to that special streetscape in a qualitative way, in terms of scale, architectural elaboration, materialization and destination. The town hall of Plein 13/13A will be restored to its former glory by demolishing the (less qualitative) extensions. The former appurtenances of the school will also be demolished.
A volume will be added to the existing town house – the façade of which will be retained in white ornamental plaster – to accommodate the supporting functions and vertical circulation. In this way, the ornamental ground floor and stairwell can be kept free of major interventions. The town house and extension will be converted into 4 residential units and an office and multifunctional space, together christened ‘Maple’.
Green
With the peaceful integration of ‘Maple’ and ‘Mint’ on the site, the north side of this green city park is seeded and further greened. The degree of development will be more than halved, from 63% to 30.7% of the total site, with the inner garden as the new green lung for the city. Greenery will also be applied to the roofs and terraces.
Detailed programme
Construction of an apartment building with 18 units, commercial ground floor and underground parking – 2515 m².
