KKB / Keizer Karel Building

We have formulated a architectural proposal for an exclusive apartment building on a prominent corner in the city of Ghent. Given the central location and the current build environment we aim to realize a project that can impulse the whole neighborhood. The building contains 80 luxury apartements who will benefit from plenty of light, air, views and access to outdoor terraces.

OPTION 01

The towers give the gives the possibility to get light and air into the apartments. By placing the program in 3 towers we create a lot of openness in between. The tower at the Keizer Karelstreet will be attached to the existing neighboring building, the tower in the Frans Ackermanstreet is setback from the little existing house, so that we are able to make openings in the southern facade and the last one will be on the front corner. On the ground and first floor we are connecting them by a big elevated garden. By rotating the front tower more to the south we’re not only giving the apartments more light, but we also move the views to the cityscape and not to the neighboring towers. Because of this rotation the tower looks slimmer if you are coming from the Reep and aligns with the Gebroeders van Eyckstraat. A big public space and monumental entrance to the building is made by cutting 4 floors of the front tower. Also all 3 towers get a cut over the top 2 floors, so we get big open balconies facing south, which give the residents a beautiful view over the city. The other apartment have a big balcony hanging from the facade. They are placed to grantee the privacy of the resident and they give the facade a playful character. The proposed plan allows for 67 apartments. The simple plan is easy to divide for a repetition of a plantypes, or various options of combining small, medium and big apartments per floor.

OPTION03

As the best views to the city on our site are located in the north, we wanted to try to get the best of both worlds – good lighting and good views. Therefore by folding the facade in two directions we move the normal front view into two opposite side views. You also create a complete separation between you and your neighbor. Then we stack every floor in the opposite direction which allows us to create big balconies. The structure is guaranteed as all floors points align.