Inspired by Japanese minimalism and the spare looks of flat-pack prefab homes designed by French architect Jean Prouvé in the middle of the twentieth century, this monastically spare weekend home in northern Belgium packs a surprising amount of style between its plywood-and-glass walls.
Designed by Ghent-based firm GAFPA, the two-story home was designed to highlight its use as a residence for short stays. No luxury materials here—you'll find nary a marble slab or tile. Instead, a simple concrete base, steel frame, and exposed-timber walls provide a stage for the clients weekend getaways. Stainless-steel kitchen fittings—including a sink, range, and storage—line one wall, opposite the double-height open-plan living and dining room.
A metal spiral staircase, painted dark green, leads to the upper-level bedrooms for the clients (on a mezzanine level above the kitchen) and their children (at the rear of the house). The house's U-shaped plan centers on a central enclosure planted with a single small tree, in the tradition of the Japanese courtyard house.
∙ Belgian holiday house by GAFPA [Dezeen]
∙ New Spin on a Classic Prouvé Prefab Goes Off-The-Grid [Curbed]
∙ All Homes coverage [Curbed]