In a small

terrain of 16m width by 20m long in the middle of a flat Belgian landscape,

raises a 30m high water tower built between 1938 and 1941 for and by the village of Steenokkerzeel.

It has been in service until the beginning of the nineties and was used by the

Nazis during the 2nd world war as a "tour de guete".







In 2004 a

procedure was filled to protect and preserve the building witch the Royal

commission for the protection and preservation of monuments and sites accepted.



The

exterior of the tower was fully renovated to its initial state. Damaged

concrete columns were repaired and painted, brick joints were completely

removed and replaced and the windows in the floor top were enlarged.







The works

for a complete renovation and conversion into a single family house started in

2007.







The program

The program

foresees two distinct profiles of users. The private and main user is the client, a

couple living at the tower daily. Once or twice a month, part of the building

is rented for very exclusive events targeting management people looking for a

place to make workshops, high profile companies that seek a unique place to

meet top clients near by the airport. Every room is equipped with the latest IT

technology, domotics and the possibility to install projectors virtually

anywhere on the top floor.







Interior architecture







The preservation

of existing concrete elements such as the main water conduct, concrete

ceilings, concrete stairs and the 250.000 liters concrete water basin were

essential to preserve the strong identity of the building.







Every

visible concrete element inside was painted in dark grey in order to mark the

old from the new. This choice works in both ways since it makes the contrast

created makes both bright and dark stand out.







0 - Main

entrance & garage (2 cars)

1 - Technical

room, storage and utility

2 -

Guest room & office

An envelope inside the envelope. The combination of vertical and

horizontal wengé surfaces delineates the guest’s bedroom area with its own

bathroom.

3 -

Bathroom

A central 4.5

meter high shower was created in the bathroom in order to maximize the water

flow experience. Black tainted glass walls surround the walk in shower increasing

the sense of intimacy.

Textile as

visual separation from the cupboards was introduced to create a balance with

the other "hard" materials and enhance the room’s acoustics.

4 -

Bedroom

This circular

room with a dome ceiling hosts a revolving stairs leading to the upper floor and

a full monolithic mirror dressing witch reflects the surroundings and gradually

disappears.

Wengé wood

flooring contrasts with the cold nature of the mirror surfaces. Light reflection

on the wood bounces providing warm reddish tones on the walls.

5 -

Living room, kitchen and dining room

Impressive

by its circular shape and large surface, the top floor affords some incredible

vistas to the airplanes landing on the national airport just a quarter of a

kilometer away.

The

elevator block integrates a rest room, a library, the cat house and a cloak

room.

Above the

sculptural kitchen furniture, a steel bridge takes you to the terrace.

6 -

Panoramic terrace

The terrace

provides a full panoramic view and is equipped with raised IPE wood flooring

and a shower.Pictures by Jasmine Van Hevel