Masterproef

A case study of the repurposed ARC building in Liège emphasized the importance of appropriation and gradations of privacy in co-living environments. By comparing the building’s original and transformed states, we analyzed how the structure enabled these interventions. Diagrams supported this analysis visually and conceptually.

In the second semester, the focus shifted to a specific building in Ixelles, Brussels. Located near the major Avenue Louise, the building is well connected in the city. The project consists of transforming the former parking garage into a future-proof mixeduse building. The building’s character lies in its strong, expressive mushroom- shaped structure that offers both opportunities and challenges for transformation. The aim of the intervention was to design a building that can support various future functions, while providing highquality spaces and reinforcing the identity of the existing structure.

My intervention, the light wells, pierce their way through the building while preserving and celebrating the original structure. It improves natural light conditions and introduces adaptable, futureproof spaces that can be appropriated in different ways by its users. The intervention is analyzed on three spatial levels: circulation areas, communal spaces, and living units.

In a rapidly changing society, a design approach focused on spaces of transition is essential. This thesis investigates how we can transform existing buildings into timeless, sustainable architecture that evolve alongside their users, buildings that remain relevant over time, capable of hosting multiple functions beyond their original purpose.

It is a building that grows alongside its users.