De Baes Architects

It takes 65 years for a new building to recover the energy lost from demolishing an existing structure. This is why we develop and implement strategies to redevelop post-war buildings for contemporary use. Conceptual 3D testing is an integral part of our methodology, allowing us to push the boundaries of our design thinking and explore innovative solutions for sustainable redevelopment.

Well-designed landscapes are dynamic components, not just static elements. We see greenery as a positive force that enriches its surroundings. To activate our masterplan in Ninove, we propose integrating various recreational landscapes for residents, visitors and passers-by. Our proposal includes sports fields, paths, water features and scenic routes, as well as pavilions and rest areas. In partnership with and

In Ruben's apartment, the old concrete beams are transformed into part of a light fixture. The interplay of different textures - concrete, mirror, fluted glass, limewash - adds to the overall feel.

In House for a Collector, we transformed an abandoned showroom into a live-work space that accommodated our client's unusual hobby: collecting second-hand building materials. Photography by

The combination of mirrors and light produces an image that plays with the existing beams and columns, which are deliberately left visible.
Photography by

In this seaside residence in Knokke, the former party-wall has been removed. This has created an open floor plan where a terrace connects what were once separate apartments — now, it forms a single, cohesive living space.
Photography by

For the Europacentrum in Oostende, we are exploring different strategies to transform the current car park into a high-quality, recreational outdoor space. As part of our renovation masterplan, the roof garden becomes a connection between the tower and the city around it.

Our ongoing research into CLT highlights its sustainability, recyclability and ability to withstand fire. CLT buildings can be dismantled and the wood reused. It is lightweight. This makes it ideal for extensions without the need for costly reinforcement. Shown here is a structural timber model of our Marshland House in East Flanders.

By adopting an ethic of architectural porosity, our vision for the Mont-Saint-Lambert site is based on the idea that the spaces we inhabit must be permeable, responsive and welcoming. Porous architecture allows people, ideas and nature to flow freely.

In collaboration with: + peritas bv

Just as a building is never really finished, it can always be adapted and transformed to take on a new form or function. Here are some of our first tests for the redevelopment of a residential tower in Antwerp.

In our Sunset apartment in Knokke, we created an open space by removing a wall at one end and replacing it with a floor-to-ceiling glass window and sliding door to the balcony. This design allows residents to enjoy panoramic views of the North Sea. Photography by

We are pleased to announce that our project 'Inclusive Housing Transformation' has been selected as part of the RenoLab initiative in Brussels. Over the coming months we will be exploring how to systematically optimise collective renovations using digital tools, prefabricated timber construction, financing models and energy innovations.

LifeCycle Tower One is a new cutting-edgeoffice building made from CLT, a building material that allows for a sustainable and face pace construction. The 8-story tower went up in just 8 days!

Have a look here >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Loxefl8FfH0&feature=emb_title

CREE BUILDINGS Timelapse LCT One UK

We got selected to make a proposal for the redevelopment of the northern station area in Roeselare!

The city wishes to investigate how this plot of land can be used as a way to reconnect the town of Beveren. The existing assets of the northern station area will be enhanced and bring out their potential through a green and blue network. After all, This master plan forms a framework for future projects and reinforces the quality of life in the neighbourhood.

MVA Masterplan
​Avelgem, Belgium [3/3]
​
​How to create housing spaces meant to accommodate all types of residents and users?​
​
​
Each building follows a unified grid, allowing the usage of prefabricated elements. The grid structure is arranged to be easily modified. This gives residents the freedom to grow and/or shrink their houses according to their changing needs and wishes. New functions can emerge according to individual needs: a terrace, a winter garden, or extra interior living space.
​
​  

De opwarming van de aarde stelt ons voor belangrijke maatschappelijke uitdagingen in de komende decennia. Naast weldoordachte nieuwbouw, is het maximaal hergebruik en de aanpassing van bestaande appartementsgebouwen aan hedendaagse eisen een essentieel onderdeel van de strijd om het klimaat.

Op 25 november presenteren we een casestudy tijdens Eco-House Antwerpen, een workshop voor professionals rond het thema renovatie van appartementsgebouwen, georganiseerd door de stad Antwerpen en FEREB. We zullen het hebben over de mogelijkheden, uitdagingen en het belang van duurzame keuzes doorheen het ganse proces.

Het evenement vindt plaats in zaal Eighty in het MAS in Antwerpen, van 14u tot 18u. Als u geïnteresseerd bent om deel te nemen, kunt u zich inschrijven via volgende link: https://eloket.antwerpen.be/nl/aanvraag/studiedag-duurzame-renovatie-appartementsgebouw

Meet WSK, our all-encompassing residential renovation project on Knokke's seafront which aims to reconnect its inhabitants with the lively plaza, and the majestic ocean and sky.

To achieve this, the facade cladding was faceted while the opaque elements were reduced to the minimum, resulting in a maximum absorption of light and life into the apartments.

Located within a post-war residential building on Knokke’s seafront, the existing apartments’ function was prioritized over their shape and design. Our task consists of remodeling three small apartments into one.
A layering of time is obtained through the overlapping, the intersection, and finally the merge of the exposed existing structure with the new outlines of the spaces. 

📷:

📷

In apartment MDK, the concrete columns and the new travertine floor intertwine into a new harmonious entity.
Thank you

Situated across Bruges’s main canal, the post-war ‘Ter Poorte Residence’ is soon nearing a threefold renovation including the surrounding landscape which will host a non-hierarchical landscape design 🌱

For those going to Venice, our work together with frontofficetokyo is presented, with the support of Keio University and Ryerson University.

We are developing housing strategies in Avelgem, Belgium, which replace the superseded suburbs and spatially reconfigure and rejuvenate the introverted rural centers. More to be published in the coming months!

We are hiring an architect with Revit experience, fluency in Dutch is an asset.
Please email your portfolio and CV to [email protected] 📩
Image: detail of House HCB
Photography by

We are hiring a Dutch speaking architect with Revit experience!
Please e-mail your portfolio and CV to [email protected]
Image: detail of House HCB
Photography by

La Cubanita turns an urban insula into a vibrant, otherworldly destination, fusing together the Eastern heritage of the owners and the Cuban theme of this bar, situated in the heart of Kortrijk.
Photography by

The Molsbroek nature reserve in Lokeren in the province of East Flanders consists of 120 hectares of marshland, grassland and river dunes. Frederik’s House is situated right across from it. The lush surrounding reverberates with the opted material: Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), recognized as a significantly greener alternative. The material is what gives the exposed structure as well as the interior of the house a unique character which echoes with the nature, creating an effortless harmony.

In collaboration with Front Office Tokyo.

House SSK confronts the old urban fabric with the desire for a larger whole. The house disengages from its context and is simultaneously imprisoned within it. By detaching itself from the existing frontage line, a volume that fulfills contemporary requirements is created.
A collaboration with Sophie Van Noten ✨
📷 by Frans Parthesius

By playing with different light gradients and multiple rectangular openings in House LCK, a new found depthness is conceived.
📷

Om ons team te versterken zijn we op zoek naar een getalenteerde Nederlandstalige (ingenieur-) architect.

Gelieve je portfolio en CV te versturen naar [email protected]