Shutterflats

Shutterflats is an apartment building in the centre of Waregem. Main feature of the building are the sliding shutters, which provide sunshading on the South oriented facade and also give inhabitants the ability to regulate sunlight to their own preference. The shutters also provide privacy and give the building a dynamic component. Important also is the relation the building has with the historic Avalon villa, built in 1904. During its renovation as many historic components as possible were kept, however they were supplemented with contemporary elements, and therefore a relationship is created between the old villa and the Shutterflats, making the latter a full-fledged member of the environment.

Shutterflats is an apartment building that uses its main feature, the sliding shutters, for multiple purposes, both technical but also social and to engage its inhabitants in the use of the building. First of all the shutters provide sunshading when needed and prevent overheating. Inhabitants can move the shutters to their own preference, giving the building a dynamic outlook, but also making life in the building merge with the building itself. The apartments inside are compact but don’t compromise on living quality. The inside has a spacious outlook with sleeping compartments arranged around a central piece of furniture which one can navigate freely. A large south-facing terrace is foreseen that overlooks the square, again reinforcing the relation the building has with its environment.

You enter the building via a small street, reinforcing the intimitate character the apartment building has despite being located in a busy environment.