![MIDRAS / GRAUX & BAEYENS architects - Windows, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5017/375e/28ba/0d77/a800/0143/medium_jpg/stringio.jpg?1361427149)
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Architects: GRAUX & BAEYENS architects: GRAUX & BAEYENS architects
- Area: 825 m²
- Year: 2010
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Photographs:Julien Lanoo Photographs
Text description provided by the architects. The existing situation consists of a central volume flanked by two uniform wings.
![MIDRAS / GRAUX & BAEYENS architects - Windows, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5017/3760/28ba/0d77/a800/0144/newsletter/stringio.jpg?1361382431)
The assignment was to transform the central volume into a dynamic office building with a housing-unit. At the frontside of the building the architects chose not to break the strong horizontality but to enhance it instead by creating a balanced composition of stacked white volumes. The spacing between these massive volumes and the recessed windows creates an interesting number of vistas.
![MIDRAS / GRAUX & BAEYENS architects - Windows, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5017/376b/28ba/0d77/a800/0147/medium_jpg/stringio.jpg?1361382445)
In strong contrast with the existing wings of the building nothing of the interior organization is given away from the outside: the volume protects itself from the busy road situated in front of it. The interior organization is composed in a manner to allow a maximum amount of natural daylight into the building, between the two 10meter high walls separating the central volume from the adjacent buildings.
![MIDRAS / GRAUX & BAEYENS architects - Stairs, Windows, Facade, Handrail](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5017/37ae/28ba/0d77/a800/015e/medium_jpg/stringio.jpg?1361382499)
The office is located on the ground floor, level -1 and level +1. The penthouse with terraces stretches out from front to back on the upper floor .
![MIDRAS / GRAUX & BAEYENS architects - Image 18 of 30](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5017/37a8/28ba/0d77/a800/015c/newsletter/stringio.jpg?1361382492)
On the backside a 3 story high lightshaft is brought into the building while at the frontside a void separates level +1 from the façade and creates a relation with the underlying floors.
![MIDRAS / GRAUX & BAEYENS architects - Image 16 of 30](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5017/37a5/28ba/0d77/a800/015b/newsletter/stringio.jpg?1361382487)
On the ground level two staircases connect to floor -1 in a way that it becomes fully a part of the office.