projects | Viabizzuno progettiamo la luce

‘corten steel is a paradox as a material' the concept of this house, on the outskirts of antwerp, is entirely based on the use of corten steel slats, both internally and externally, which create a protective shell around the house. in addition, to revolutionise the traditional building volume of a typical two-storey flemish house, the house was designed all on one level, with the addition of a small tower. a patio was created on the western side, allowing natural light to penetrate right inside the house. the lamellar structure defines the spaces, enclosing them when necessary or creating openings, as well as emphasising the vertical aspect of the building. the slats vary in density according to the function of the domestic space behind them; the garden and swimming pool are partially covered to respect privacy, while in the garden area around the ginkgo trees they are fewer in number. outside the slats that surround the garden, the vegetation is left to grow naturally and displays all the bright colours of the local flora, in harmony with the warm, natural oxide of the corten. much detailed work was needed to enable the slats to be used as cladding (welded onto a perforated plate), as a gate for the garage and for the individual slats surrounding the garden (fixed to a special invisible structure), as well as for the paving around the ginkgo. the particular shade of colour of the oxidised material ensures that the slats capture the orange light of the sunset, providing a warm intense glow and a play of shadows on the façade. the effects of natural light on the material, combined with those of the artificial lighting, accentuate ‘the elegance of rust’, emphasising the feeling of long standing given by the signs of aging. the lighting design was also based on the idea of a protective shell and on verticality. for all these reasons, the m4 fittings were positioned randomly so that the warm colour of the halogen light, reflected off the corten, blends with that of the sunset, creating feelings of intimacy and wellbeing. in the garden, the swimming pool acts as a barometer and is tinged with a different colour each season; in the winter the unaghi fittings are an inviting warm white, whereas in summer they turn a cooler white. along one side of the black block that divides the house in two is a long corridor, which ends with a view of the garden. the length of the corridor is emphasised by using a series of cilindro 15 pl fittings. the other lamps are hidden, like the 13x8 fittings installed within the thickness of the doors or the librO’ fittings placed between the books. inside too, the choice of light fittings and their location are in keeping with the characteristics of the materials and the lamellar structure. the lama fittings, reminiscent in shape of the corten steel panels, create different moods according to the lamp used, fluorescent during the day, halogen in the evening. the living room table is softened by the warm light of the tagliata fitting, slotted like the corten structure.