In Sint-Martens-Latem, the renovation of a mid-century bungalow re-examines the value of 1960s domestic modernism. Instead of erasing the building’s character, Decancq Vercruysse restored its proportions and layout while updating it for contemporary family life.
The bungalow had many original merits, yet the main challenge was understanding how subtle yet authentic enhancements could transform it. “When beginning a house renovation, it’s important to consider which elements to keep, and which to let go of,” says Emiel Vercruysse. “We not only consider aesthetics, but quality too. We don’t preserve architecture for the sake of it. We approach an existing house like a drawing board open to questioning and editing, where elements of new and old co-exist.”
A few simple shifts to the exterior improved its geometry and rhythm in the landscape. The front door was repositioned to the opposite side of the house, creating a newly private back garden, and a newly picturesque entry beneath a majestic old tree reached by a path of two rectangular stepping stones. To accentuate the architecture’s horizontality, a ‘hat’ was added to the chimney, and the windows divided into a typical 1960s composition.
