Val Maria has been completed, bringing 45 new homes to two sites within the Mariëndaal garden district in Brussels. Together, the two developments respond to their surroundings in different ways while forming a coherent new residential ensemble. On the Mariëndaal site, the building marks the entrance to the garden district and mediates between the higher blocks along Kraatveldstraat and the low-rise neighbourhood. Its volume gradually steps down towards the surrounding homes. The 19 residences include east-west and north-south oriented apartments, three-sided homes and duplexes, organised around a simple and accessible circulation system.

On the Halve Cirkel site, 26 homes are grouped around a shared yard. The cluster houses are arranged in groups of two or four and carefully staggered to preserve views across the site. Without a fixed front or back, the homes open up in multiple directions, while the spaces between them create room for greenery and social interaction. Pastel green façades reference the character of the surrounding neighbourhood without simply reproducing it. Across both sites, the architecture seeks a careful balance between adding new homes and respecting the scale, rhythm and atmosphere of the existing garden district.

Thanks to: M-Gineers, Ney & Partners, GRAS, Atelier Ruimtelijk Advies
Photography: Johnny Umans