Belgian architecture firm dmvA Architecten created this modern extension of an existing row house in Mechelen, Belgium. Due to strict local building codes, the architects were bound to height restrictions and the use of a traditional saddle roof. However, that didn’t stop them from designing an innovative addition for the inhabitants.
The front façade of the row house is a dark, screened surface that ensures privacy in an urban environment. The rear façade, on the other hand, is a rectilinear white volume with sliding glass doors and substantial windows that look out onto the narrow backyard.
To ensure natural light would be allowed into all interior spaces, a central void was cut through all three floors. In order to maximize space, the void was filled with a transparent glass floor. In addition to the transmission of light, the architect explains that “By means of the glass floors, a spatial transparency is created through which all spaces are connected.”
Continue reading for more images.
Source: Trendir