Darwin

Project: Darwin
Architect: l'atelier DEV

Programme: Heritage restoration

About: Mending the Brussels House – A Renovation Between Restoration and Reinvention

This project focuses on the renovation of a 19th-century townhouse in Brussels. The challenge: to preserve its historic architectural character while adapting it to contemporary uses. Spread over seven levels, the house has been entirely reconfigured to bring clarity, fluidity, and spatial coherence, while respecting and enhancing the existing structure through refined tones and noble materials.

Rather than erasing the building’s history, the adopted approach seeks to stitch its layers together, making time a true ally. Historical elements — moldings, frescoes, stucco ceilings, and staircases — were carefully restored by skilled artisans. Even old ceiling paintings were uncovered and integrated into the new interior atmosphere. The original floors were repaired rather than replaced, extending a philosophy of continuity and memory.

Contemporary interventions create a subtle dialogue between past and present: a curved walnut bookshelf, brass details, and softly lit thresholds provide elegant tactile counterpoints to the house’s decorative heritage. Custom-made furniture completes the volumes, strengthening the identity of the space without altering it.

At the heart of this renovation lies a strong conceptual vision: the interiors become urban microcosms. Drawing on our research on urban theory and typological memory, the project considers the townhouse not as a frozen relic, but as an evolving ecosystem. Domestic functions — kitchen, living room, bathrooms — are reimagined to suit contemporary lifestyles, while retaining the typological clarity characteristic of the Brussels house.

Mending the Brussels House is about restoring, reinventing, and creating a dialogue between history and the present, resulting in a space that is at once heritage-rich, functional, and deeply alive.