Urban garden

Cohousing Jean, Ghent

Municipal company Sogent purchased a former mushroom farm in Sint-Amandsberg and selected cohousing group Jean as its future owner. The goal is to build ten residences with additional common areas and a large garden, in partnership with architects Els Claessens and Tania Vandenbussche (ECTV). The mushroom factory has since been demolished and planning permission is still pending (2019).

Eight houses will be erected with the rear facade against the left-hand barrier wall along the long, narrow plot. Two additional houses will be built in transverse position at the back of the plot. A large collective outdoor area will be created, surrounded by a gated wall. The canopy running along the houses creates a transition between the private living spaces and the collective garden, and allows residents to put a bench or some chairs in front of their homes. Each house has a unique floor plan, created in consultation with the residents, based on the same overarching design principle: the living area on the ground floor with large windows overlooking the garden and the bedrooms on higher floors. The common spaces are distributed throughout the complex, which helps to create a homely atmosphere in every room. The inner courtyard also has room to park bicycles and five cars.