Urban Townhouse EM

In a dense urban context, this split-level house in Mechelen seeks a balance between integration and autonomy. The street façade, composed of subtle shifting planes, aligns with its surroundings while maintaining a distinct identity. Inside, a surprisingly spatially rich interior unfolds, organised around a tall canyon of light that divides the home and draws daylight deep into the plan. The stair void becomes the central space where light, movement, and perspective converge. Traditional rooms dissolve into a continuous sequence of living spaces, finished in raw, honest materials such as exposed concrete, brick, and wood. Through precisely cut openings and a roof terrace extending from the main living area, the exterior is drawn inward. This house reinterprets the classic split-level typology into a vertical urban dwelling that merges light, calm, and domestic intimacy — a compact canyon of light within the density of Mechelen.