Gistel

West Flanders, Belgium | restoration of existing building, 12 social housing apartments, new public space | competition organised by the Vlaams Bouwmeester, 2003; winning entry

The Flemish Government has recognised the importance of redressing the sprawl of piecemeal private dwellings throughout the rural landscape. We have responded to this issue through the intensification of Gistel's medieval town centre, re-engaging an awkward and abandoned site. New housing, designed to lifelong standards, is organised around the internal periphery of the site defining a new public court against the 17th century inn. Surrounded by different active uses, this new public space opens to the main street whilst respecting the spatial autonomy of the inn.