12/02/2026
SILI (III/III) is the transformation of a former café in Kalmthout into a dwelling.
As in many renovation projects, the existing building becomes an active partner in the design
process. Alongside the wishes of the clients, the project engages with the logic, character and
potential of the building itself, allowing it to inform the transformation.
In this case, the intervention responds to the specific conditions of the site. As the building is
positioned along the edge of the plot, this condition opened up the possibility to consider the
side façade as the main façade, rather than the traditional front elevation. To support this shift,
the existing façade is extended according to its original rhythm and proportions. This extension
continues as a freestanding element, concealing a secluded space behind it. This interstitial
space mediates between house and garden and also redefines the way the dwelling is entered,
with arrival taking place through this transitional zone rather than through the rarely used front
door.
In the materialisation of the façade, a unifying material was sought that would not compete with
the existing rhythm, while still offering depth and subtlety. The ex*****on in wired glass
reinforces the existing order and introduces depth, reflection and a calibrated, continuously
shifting filtering of light.
The new programme engages with the existing structure, treating it as a spatial framework
rather than a neutral envelope. The ground floor forms a continuous living space, open to the
garden. Private spaces are located on the upper floor, including the main bedroom with en-suite
bathroom, two additional bedrooms and a shared bathroom.
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