TEMPORARY RESIDENCE 

LOCATION: MONCEAU-SUR-SAMBRE, CHARLEROI

CONTEXT: SECOND YEAR BACHELOR INTERIOR DESIGN

EVALUATION: 15/20

For the course Design, we were asked to design a temporary residence with a volume of 200m³ on a Belgian site of choice. This assignment was part of the Focus Concept & Spatiality, a specialisation within the Interior Design course. The focus is on concept formation and the design process. The manner and media of presentation are also considered. 

I chose the former power station of Monceau-sur-Sambre, Charleroi. It was a coal-based power station and is therefore typical of this region. The numerous slag heaps in the area also suggest this.  The accommodation was not placed on the site but on a hill overlooking the power station. It looks like a lookout to admire the site.

This design focuses on the basis of the site, namely coal. The form of the accommodation is also a lump of coal. Openings were then selectively made that follow the shape.

The focus of the interior is on experiencing the shape of the coal and the view of the surroundings. The most expressive part of the shape was turned towards the site. Then an opening was made towards the site. To maximise the experience, the full height was maintained in this zone. In this space, as the focal point of the residence, the functions eating and sitting were organised. The sitting area is located on an elevation: in this way, both functions have an optimal view over the site without obstructing each other’s view.

The materialisation of the exterior is black sprayed metal plate: it refers again to the coal. The interior is finished mainly in plain white as the focus is on form. The floor is finished in an orange-red concrete plaster. In this way, the whole building resembles a glowing coal.