Driezen

Walking through our villages and small towns, you sometimes encounter unexpected places… Driezenstraat in Turnhout is one of those hidden gems. Right in the centre, a stone’s throw from the church and the main square, tucked into the bend of the shopping street, with charming terraced houses and the occasional apartment building — yet it is the monumental trees and the lush greenery of the adjoining private gardens at the end of the street that create a truly special moment.

The project consists of a “villa”, an ensemble of eight dwellings, and one ground-bound city house. The volumes bend and fold to maximise views of the greenery and of the church tower in the distance — for residents and for passers-by. The street façades remain slender and fit naturally into the rhythm of the adjoining houses.

The garden wall reinforces both the historical dries and the typology of the urban villa. The gate openings lead to green rooms behind, acting as transitional spaces — urban thresholds between public and private.

In designing this project, special attention was given to the scenography of the urban experience: walking through Driezenstraat, escaping the bustle of the centre.

By drawing on classical typologies such as the garden wall, the city villa, the row house and the front garden, the ensemble seeks to preserve — and reinterpret — a green place within the city.

The new project replaces the existing two-storey single-family home and therefore contributes to urban densification. Thanks to the cruciform floor plan, the new “villa” appears as a fusion of four townhouses, each with its own gable.

The façades receive a light-coloured limewash, natural timber joinery and a natural-stone plinth. With these pure materials and simple detailing, the volume aims to blend quietly into its surroundings.

The same simplicity is continued in the structure: no load-bearing interior walls and generous floor heights give the building great flexibility and adaptability for the future. Naturally, careful consideration is given to the environmental impact of the chosen materials and technologies.