T(uin)HUIS
Sitting by the long table near the window, sipping coffee while fingers dance effortlessly across the keyboard, one can feel the shifting light casting intricate shadows as time passes. The expansive floor-to-ceiling windows seamlessly bridge the interior with the surrounding scenery, creating a space that feels bright, transparent, and utterly liberating. This is the experience of being in T(uin)HUIS, a garden studio located at the far end of a lush backyard in Ghent, Belgium, adjacent to a verdant public park. Its open and tranquil setting brings an uplifting sense of ease to everyday life.
The studio’s crisp rectangular form is accentuated by a rhythmic linear framework, lending a dynamic cadence to the architecture. Viewed from the garden, the tall glass panels reflect glimpses of the surroundings while subtly revealing scenes from within, fostering an open dialogue between indoor and outdoor spaces. Originally conceived as a small woodworking studio, the structure’s clear and direct spatial composition offers remarkable flexibility. Currently serving as a temporary residence for the owner during construction, its open-plan design anticipates future adaptations, with generous proportions that create a light and airy atmosphere.
Stepping inside, the concrete framework rises like the sturdy trunk of a tree, grounding the structure while extending gracefully upward. The exposed wooden ceiling and walls, combined with bare brick surfaces, require no ornamentation—only the lower portion of the brick walls is lightly coated with white paint, preserving the raw beauty of the materials. The studio exudes a sense of weightlessness and ease; expansive glass openings invite natural light to flood the interior, while pale-toned furnishings and soft gray flooring subtly reflect the idyllic landscape outside. Thoughtfully placed accents of vibrant color inject a lively energy into the space. Atelier Janda Vanderghote has crafted an environment of serenity and clarity through its considered use of materials. In parallel, the studio has redefined the surrounding landscape, reshaping the lawn and existing cedar grove to extend the park’s greenery into the site. This seamless integration of structured aesthetics with the natural environment creates a harmonious dialogue between architecture and its context.
Principal Designers | Menno Vanderghote, Indra Janda
Character of Space | Studio
Gross Floor Area | 80 ㎡
Engineering | Pascal De Munck
Materials | Concrete, Wood（Oregon）
Location | Ghent, Belgium
