- Project: Villa ABC
- Architect: Objekt Architecten
- Location: Belgium, Lebbeke
- Year: 2023
- Photography: Ypsilon Business Photography
Transforming a 1990s Home into a Contemporary Family Villa
In the quiet town of Lebbeke, Belgium, Villa ABC by Objekt Architecten redefines what a sensitive renovation can achieve. The 162 m² residence, originally built in the 1990s, has been entirely reimagined to meet the needs of a modern family.
Rather than erasing the past, the architects carefully worked with the existing structure, transforming it through precise spatial interventions, refined materials, and a deep connection to the surrounding garden. The result is a house that bridges eras — contemporary yet rooted, elegant yet warm.
A Thoughtful Approach to Renovation
The owners, a couple with two teenagers, needed a home that reflected their current lifestyle — more fluid spaces, natural light, and improved energy efficiency. Objekt Architecten proposed a strategy that retained the home’s essential form while introducing a new rear extension to open it toward the garden.
The outdated rear volume was demolished, making way for a new living space that connects seamlessly with the outdoor terraces. The extension also adds a bathroom and reorganizes the upstairs plan, allowing every corner of the house to gain clarity, light, and purpose.
This approach turned a compartmentalized, dated home into a flowing, contemporary family villa that emphasizes transparency and balance.
Interior Reconfiguration and Flow
The ground floor was completely restructured around the kitchen, which now functions as the social heart of the house. A sculptural kitchen island forms the center of daily life — a place for cooking, conversation, and gathering.
Adjacent to it, the dining room connects to the garden through large glass openings, while the living area faces the street, offering a more intimate, enclosed atmosphere. The reorganization enhances privacy without sacrificing openness.
Natural materials define the tactile identity of the space. Warm herringbone oak floors flow across the living areas, transitioning into flagstone flooring that extends out to both terraces, blurring the line between inside and outside. Subtle color palettes and soft lighting complete the serene, timeless atmosphere.
Material and Façade Renewal
Outside, the design introduces a restrained yet striking composition of materials. The new rear façade features anodized aluminum cladding, paired with dark blue aluminum joinery — a contemporary reinterpretation of the house’s original window color. This detail preserves the home’s memory while giving it a fresh, modern aesthetic.
The result is a tactile and layered envelope: light-reflective metal panels that shift tone throughout the day, contrasting with the textured masonry of the existing structure. The extension is clearly new, yet it feels naturally connected to the old.
Energy and Environmental Performance
Beyond its visual transformation, Villa ABC was upgraded to meet modern sustainability standards. The house is now equipped with a heat pump, underfloor heating, air conditioning, and a balanced mechanical ventilation system (Type D).
Insulation was improved across all walls, roofs, and floors, ensuring high thermal performance while maintaining comfort and efficiency.
Through this integrated technical renewal, the home achieves a new level of energy performance without compromising on design integrity.
Spatial Experience and Atmosphere
Light is the central protagonist in Villa ABC. The garden-facing façade floods the interior with daylight, animating the textures of wood and stone. From morning to evening, the house transforms with the sun — bright and open by day, warm and intimate by night.
The reimagined staircase and minimal detailing amplify the sense of calm continuity. In every space, proportions are carefully balanced, allowing the architecture to feel both solid and effortlessly fluid.
A Dialogue Between Past and Present
Objekt Architecten approached Villa ABC with the belief that renovation should not disguise age, but rather reinterpret it. The project doesn’t try to mimic a new build — it embraces contrast. The old and new coexist in harmony, connected through light, proportion, and craftsmanship.
This project reflects a broader trend in Belgian architecture: transformative renovation as an act of precision. It demonstrates how design intelligence can breathe new life into existing homes, creating sustainable, characterful architecture that feels both fresh and familiar.
Villa ABC in Lebbeke is a masterclass in architectural renewal. It proves that transformation is more powerful than replacement — that a home can evolve gracefully, combining memory, modernity, and meaning.
Through subtle spatial gestures, thoughtful detailing, and sustainable technology, Objekt Architecten created a living environment that celebrates both continuity and change — a true reflection of contemporary family life.
