GRAUX & BAEYENS
Belgian interior design studio
Graux & Baeyens Architects is a Belgium-based architecture studio founded in 2005 and co-led by Koen Baeyens and Basile Graux. This Belgian studio, which operates in the fields of contemporary architecture, interior design and product design, favors minimalist style and excels at expressing the dynamics of architecture. They focus on intense dialogue with context and are very good at the use of materials and textures. They always try to grasp the immeasurable, fragile and magical side of architecture in their work.
01 BL Small House
HOUSE BL
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"The interior is an integral part of the design, and it is impossible not to think about the interior of a building when designing it. We pay special attention to the role of parts and carefully selected materials. ”
——Graux & Baeyens Architects
House BL is a minimalist home in Destelbergen, Belgium, designed by Graux & Baeyens Architects. The privacy of the building, the castle-like park views and the pastures of the Shetland Ponies attract clients to buy properties here. The house's sturdy structure, interesting layout and sloping roof inspired the designers' idea of harmoniously expanding the existing structure to avoid a clash between old and new.
The understated and witty exterior makes the building look very "stable". The new entrance hall is a key part of the building, and under the expansion of Graux & Baeyens Architects, light is introduced into the interior, making it a strong contrast with the exterior. The south side creates a lovely garden space that provides a deeper perspective and vista view of the trees in the castle area. For GBA, architecture is defined by an abstract boundary between the interior and exterior.
95% of the original structure of the building has been preserved, thus maintaining the integrity of the original tone. Low ceilings, original window openings and small doors help create an intimate atmosphere in the room. The designers created a straight corridor that resembles an artery to a new building, providing different dimensions for the flow and line of sight of the old wing. The 1.4-meter-wide corridor becomes a spacious multi-purpose area where children can play with blocks or ride a balance bike. At the end of the corridor, a new window frames the outdoor view, making it an imperfect but realistic picture.
The transition from old to new follows the natural undulations of the landscape. From old to new, the structure gradually sinks to the horizon. Giant glass windows become walls, introducing the green of the outdoors into the space, and the harmonious colors are disrupted like oil paint and connected vertically, and the outdoor interior seems to have abandoned the boundaries.
Like the concrete base by the living room window, the window frames and steps of each room have its extensions, including the kitchen slab. Huge ceiling high windows perfectly outline the surroundings. Thus, after a soft filter of morning light into the kitchen, residents can enjoy a beautiful view of the castle grounds behind them from the dining table. Graux & Baeyens Architects realizes the harmonious coexistence of nature and man, and the fun of life and the vitality of nature build a desirable and beautiful life.
02 B-T Housing
HOUSE B-T
"The core design of each building should be expressive, showing the personality of the space and matching the client's demands."
House BT is located in Meilegem, Belgium, and the client wants to spend a comfortable old age in this minimalist home. Graux & Baeyens Architects helped the client fulfill his dream. The BT residence has two floors and the bungalows on the first floor have terraces with beautiful views of the landscape. And these terraces are important clues to open the entire building.
The two-storey representation is stunning – you can see hard lines weaving through the space, mechanically snaking into the distance, and the materials give it a natural breath of life. A wide, flat green lawn, like a patch of green paint extending into the distance. The Belgian sky meets this lush landscape, depicting a heartwarming idyllic landscape.
Unlike traditional houses, which place more emphasis on habitability, Graux & Baeyens Architects sees it as a work of art full of edges and angles. The transparency and cleanliness brought by the glass curtain wall are perfectly integrated with the original ecology of the wooden boards, opening the indoor space to welcome the entry of sunlight. To this end, Graux & Baeyens Architects has also created several rectangular skylights to make this splendid and soft atmosphere even stronger.
03 J-VC Housing
HOUSE J-VC
"We love what we do, and our philosophy is to treat every project as a story that can be told, which reinforces the meaning of our work."
House J-VC is a minimalist home in Astene, Belgium, designed by Graux & Baeyens Architects. The building is deeply influenced by its surroundings, so in its presentation, you can see the harmonious echo of the landscape and the architecture. The residence is divided into three mass spaces: kitchen, living room, and master bedroom. The common space is located on the ground floor, while the bedrooms and bathrooms are located on the upper floor.
The shape of the building comes from many considerations. The first is that the scenery of the wetlands and rivers surrounding the building cannot be disappointed, and the second is that natural light must form a good interaction with the space. So the architects created a light gray brick cube with large glass to take the two into account.
Minimalist art outlines the simple life of a public space. The light colours subtract the building's original bulkiness, while the light glass windows add to the colours. Viewed from the public space, the view of the wetlands sparkles in the sun with summer laughter, which is a picture only found in the movie.
Proper blank space, giving people a romantic imagination. Light grey lime bricks are introduced into the interior, bringing a retro pastoral style to this modern space. It's clear that Graux & Baeyens Architects doesn't see it as a purely decorative texture, but rather as part of the building that underpins it, with an ingenious and desirable mood.
A good interior designer can always make good use of the role of wood in the decoration. The kitchen follows minimalism and achieves the perfect combination of wood + marble. J-CV Residence is an artistic residence created by Graux & Baeyens Architects for its clients, reinventing the simple and romantic side of contemporary life.
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