Explore the Distinctive Ghent Townhouse with a Turret Inside

Looking for more space and a screen-free zone for their two teenage sons, Sandy and Bieke turned to architect Tim Rogge. His creative vision for their Ghent terraced house defied all imagination, exactly what the residents desired.

It is impossible to miss it: from whichever direction you turn into Sandy and Bieke’s street, the green tower sticks out above everything. The transformation that their Ghent terraced house underwent in 2020 is nothing short of spectacular, with the panoramic roof as a striking landmark. Still, the former primary school caretaker’s cottage was nothing to envy when it hit the market for sale in 2009. “The building dates from around 1890 and had been deteriorating for several years. A curse and a blessing at the same time,” says Sandy. “The house was dark, outdated and poorly insulated, but the authentic elements have been preserved. We especially noticed the charm of the high ceilings, the marble fireplaces and the original stained glass windows. We would get the defects resolved.”

The renovation became a long-term project that started shortly after purchasing the house. In the first phase, all utilities were replaced and the bathroom and kitchen were completely renovated. The veranda with a corrugated iron roof made way for an airy extension with an open kitchen, which opens onto a pleasant courtyard. As soon as these works were over, the couple moved to their new home together with their sons Felix (13) and Otto (11). “We moved here in 2010 and lived like this for ten years. In the meantime, we were making plans for further expansion,” says Sandy. “With two boys growing up at home, we had only one wish: to create more space.

“In 2019, we approached architect Tim Rogge with our project. His office is close by and we’ve been following his work for a long time. We were especially curious about his creative ideas for our house and gave him carte blanche. When he showed us the model with the rounded roof volume, we were speechless for a moment. We could never have come up with something like this ourselves.”

The organically designed roof section flows harmoniously into the rectangular rear section and thus connects the old with the new section. Sandy: “This project is a total package. Not only did we get an extra living space on the roof, but also ten centimeters of insulation in the walls. This new shell makes our house much more energy efficient. The intention is to make our home more sustainable. We also want to install green roofs and solar panels in the near future.”

To bring more daylight into the narrow living room, the window and – because of the symmetry – also the front door were raised. A support beam had to be used to slow things down, but the intervention was well worth the wait and the price tag. Sandy: “It feels much more airy and open inside. The lower window panels in opaque patterned glass create a sense of privacy, while still keeping us in touch with life outside. The wide windowsill became our favorite reading spot.”

The spiral staircase to the roof volume gave the couple a lot of headaches, until architect Tim Rogge came up with the idea of ​​an external shaft. Sandy: “We couldn’t find room for a staircase anywhere, and sacrificing the boys’ shower cubicle was not an option for us. A stairwell against the outer wall turned out to be the only solution.”

That turret is now the eye-catcher of the house and stands out even more thanks to the elongated wall tiles. “They are a nice change from the square tiles in the rest of the facade and also make the tower look longer,” says Sandy. “Choosing faience was a risky gamble, but it still makes us happy every day. That green tint is our color and matches perfectly with the woodwork of the rear building. The reactions to our house remain funny. We sometimes see passers-by look up and think: what kind of tower is that?”

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The installation of the wooden construction was quite an adventure. Sandy: “Just seeing the exceptional transport maneuvering in the street was super exciting. From the truck, the large wooden rings were hoisted up with a crane and carefully stacked on top of each other. It looked like a rocket was going to be launched.” The spiral staircase was a different story. He could not enter, so the steps had to be welded to the post one by one. The roof volume was also built on site by the carpenters of Johan Paelinck from Destelbergen. Because of the round shapes, they had some leeway to make everything fit together on the spot.”

The multipurpose room has no specific function and is used as a home office, playroom or sitting area, depending on the situation. “The attic is our screenless zone, intended to stimulate. The green worktop sometimes serves as a desk, but is cleaned up again in the evening. Precisely because we want to fill in the space freely, we have no cupboards here. The only thing that can be added to this are houseplants,” Sandy laughs. “We have not yet experienced all the seasons in the attic, but we are already longing for summer, when we will be able to open all the windows for the first time. The view is never boring: at the front we see the skyline of Ghent, at the back we look out over the playground of the primary school.”

After a year of renovation, the family enjoys the peace in the house even more. “We had to rehab from the renovations for a while,” says Sandy. “We started at the beginning of 2020, a month before the corona outbreak. Suddenly the four of us were living on a construction site. We camped upstairs for a year and converted our bedroom into a living room. The workmen started early in the morning, so we all had to be showered by seven. It was quite an organization, but we took it in. Now we are very happy that we made the decision then. It still feels like coming home to a new house every day.”