The heritage-listed school building in Ghent, Belgium, was constructed in 1908 and architects at Atelier Vens Vanbelle stood up to the challenge of finding a use for the "unusable" building with beautiful arched living spaces that extended from the windows to the newly constructed rooms. Through this nonstandard approach, Atelier Vens Vanbelle "enhance the connection between the interior and its surroundings by creating tube-like spaces aligned with these glazed surfaces," while preserving the heritage-listed facade and creating a vintage Victorian-like feel to the interior.
In order to not alienate the inside from the outside world, the new constructs are deliberately created to be arched living spaces, as the extruded walls incorporate key functionality features such as storage, built-in appliances, worktops or even "a desk and shelving in the office [space]."
Arched Living Spaces
Atelier Vens Vanbelle Created a Beautiful Home from an Old School in Ghent
Trend Themes
1. Arched Living Spaces - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore new architectural designs that incorporate arched living spaces to enhance the connection between the interior and its surroundings.
2. Preserving Heritage Buildings - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop innovative solutions to repurpose or renovate heritage-listed buildings while preserving their historical facades and creating modern and functional interiors.
3. Integrating Functionality in Construction - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore ways to integrate key functionality features, such as storage, built-in appliances, and worktops, into the construction process to optimize space utilization and enhance usability.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture and Design - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Embrace the trend of arched living spaces and incorporate them into architectural designs to create unique and visually striking residential and commercial buildings.
2. Construction and Renovation - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop innovative techniques and technologies to repurpose or renovate heritage-listed buildings in a way that balances preservation with modern functionality.
3. Furniture and Interior Design - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design furniture and interior solutions that seamlessly integrate with arched living spaces, offering practical functionality while complementing the architectural aesthetics.