Low profile
Glenn Sestig’s discreet retreat in Belgium
Winning a commission for a private house is quite an endorsement for an architect; what may seem a mundane project is, in fact, a strong affirmation of a client’s approval. It is an intimate affair, deciding where someone will eat or where they will open their eyes every morning. This makes picking an architect for one’s house a really personal matter, as well as an exercise in trust. And when the client is a developer, with a number of practices among his contacts and more vying for attention, such a commission may feel doubly important.
Not that this fazed Glenn Sestig when the founder of a local property specialist asked him to design his home. While the Ghentbased architect is prolific – having worked in Belgium and abroad on a slew of commercial and residential projects as well as product design – this is his debut project for the developer. ‘The client approached us as he had seen and really liked our style,’ he says. ‘He especially liked our use of cantilevers and he wanted this in his house. We have a lot of sun in Belgium, but also a lot of rain, so this works well in both situations.’
The result is Twenty Three, an elegant, low, linear volume in an affluent suburb of Ghent. Here, winding roads connect grand villas sitting in generous plots, interspersed with green expanses and walled gardens. This idyllic landscape and the particular parcel size were key attractions for Sestig, who, despite being a dab hand when it comes to high-end houses, hadn’t had the chance to work on a scheme quite like this before. ‘It’s a huge project. It’s really something for a private house to have that much space to work with, and the view is incredible,’ he says. ‘There is a river and some land next to it where nobody can build, so the natural surroundings will remain intact.’
The property is indeed sizeable, at some 1,500 sq m. Still, the brief asked for a family home, so it also needed to be discreet and functional. ‘It was conceived as a private retreat – not a party house, just a quiet home,’ recalls Sestig. ‘But the clients like their private space to have a hotel atmosphere.’ A private spa and a swimming pool, where the family
‘It was conceived as a private retreat – not a party house, just a quiet home’
could unwind and entertain guests, were on the list of requirements.
The architect obliged and the two-level home features light-filled, serene interiors enveloped in quality materials that feel luxurious but not ostentatious. All the cantilevers are made of off-white natural stone and the columns are grey travertine. The play of light and shade draws out certain volumes while sending others to the background and adding a sense of depth to the well-articulated façade. Some of the exterior surfaces are clad in Petersen bricks, enhancing the overall sense of horizontality.
The layout groups together communal areas, including a couple of living spaces, a kitchen, a dining room, a library and a study, on the ground level, occupying one branch of the L-shaped floor plan. The other branch is dedicated to the indoor pool and spa. From there, steps lead down to the lower-ground treatment and fitness rooms directly below (a few doors down from the wine cellar) while, outside, an open-air water feature is beautifully framed by brick walls and a colonnade. Two guest bedrooms and an expansive master suite are located on the top floor, along with an independent, 100 sq m apartment for the owner’s daughter.
The wellness area was designed with special attention to detail. Sliding glass doors open the space up to the outside; a stone Obumex kitchen sits next to the swimming pool, ready for impromptu hosting; and Sestig gave this wing its own entrance, so when the owners invite friends over for a spa day, they don’t have to go through the main house to reach their destination.
So pleased was the client with his new house that the project has led to more work for Sestig. The architect and his team are currently working on a larger residential project in Marbella for the development company, for which plans are yet to be revealed. * glennsestigarchitects.com