Small living in a big house

Cohousing De Schilders, Ghent

A local residents' association has created a small-scale and sustainable cohousing project just five minutes from the Gent-Dampoort railway station. Architecture firm Havana was asked to design eight apartments with accompanying common areas on a tight budget and according to strict urban development guidelines.

Instead of a classic apartment building, the architects designed a large house with separate 'rooms'. The bright stairwell is at the heart of the building, which has transverse views to the top and two to three front doors per floor. The apartments were designed to be extremely compact with no corridors and with a private, south-facing terrace on the street side. The garden is accessible from the common living area, where a kitchen, a table, a sofa and a piano create a cosy and homely atmosphere. The residents use this living area as an extension of their apartments. It serves as an extra workspace, a place to receive guests, a meeting area and a place to enjoy a meal together. Everyone can use the washing machines and the storage area in the basement. The garage can accommodate two cars, but is currently being used for bicycle parking.