The village landscape of Rozebeke, with its Romanesque church, is protected and has in recent years become a quiet village with many vacant buildings around the church. The protected status has kept project developers away, allowing the authentic character of the village to remain intact.
The wedge-shaped village square is characterized by the church and cemetery at its center. Along the long sides of the wedge, the buildings form a continuous façade, while at the short end lies a farmstead with a stately main house. The farmstead is listed as architectural heritage: the barns are to be preserved, while the house can be replaced. After several studies and years of legal discussions, a consensus was reached to develop a residential courtyard with a maximum of ten housing units.
In place of the existing house, two new buildings with four dwellings each will be constructed. These are positioned at a slight angle to create a well-defined, peaceful inner courtyard with a natural dynamic, extending from the irregular geometry of the existing barns. Two pedestrian paths run along the site, one of which had disappeared and will be restored. A new diagonal shortcut connects these footpaths, linking one corner of the site to the village square and a new green public space on the opposite corner. This corner plot also serves as the gateway and slow-access connection to the future residential expansion area behind the site.
The dwellings are designed within a shared green space that emphasizes community living and interaction, while maintaining privacy. The barns offer flexible possibilities for conversion, such as additional housing, office spaces, childcare facilities, assisted living for people with disabilities, or practices for independent professionals. This approach represents an ideal way to achieve densification within the rural village center, with attention to diversity, energy efficiency, and inclusion.
