Architecture studio Hé! Architectuur has completed a remarkable transformation of a typical 1990s Flemish farmhouse in Pajottenland, Belgium, creating what they call the Omloop Farmhouse. The project involved renovating a turnkey fermette for Marc and Ann, a couple working in the social sector who wanted to reconnect their aging home with the surrounding landscape while preparing it for lifelong living. The renovation has turned into a broader exploration of how to revitalize one of Belgium's most common but undervalued housing types.
The original farmhouse-style home was purchased by Marc and Ann in the 1990s, where they raised their daughters over three decades. Despite the building's architectural limitations, the emotional value of the site remained strong for the couple, who hoped to age in place. Their renovation goals were clear: open up the house, reconnect with the natural landscape, and accomplish this transformation sustainably. The project became a collaborative effort between the architects, the family, and friends who participated throughout the construction process.
The renovation began with a critical analysis of the building's original layout and its poor connection to the hilly site. Brussels-based Hé! Architectuur proposed a spatial inversion to address these issues, removing the daughters' former bedrooms to create a new winter garden. This space is bordered by a thick thermal earth wall that serves a dual purpose: retaining solar warmth during winter months while helping to cool the interior during hot summer days. The earth wall has become the central feature that regulates temperature throughout the home.
The transformation involved reimagining multiple spaces within the home's footprint. The former hallway and office areas were combined to create an expanded living room that overlooks the new winter garden. A previously oversized entrance hall was converted into an intimate seating area organized around a central earthen stove, which replaced the outdated oil boiler and now heats the entire house. The old garage was repurposed as the new main entrance, creating a more logical flow through the home.
Sustainability and accessibility were key considerations throughout the renovation process. The interior white walls were coated with warm red clay plaster that echoes the tones of the prominent earth wall, creating visual continuity throughout the space. On the ground floor, the architects added a new bedroom and compact bathroom to ensure single-level accessibility, allowing the house to truly support lifelong living for the aging couple.
The project addresses a significant housing challenge in Belgium, where fermettes are ubiquitous across the countryside but often perceived as outdated and architecturally irrelevant. Rather than demolishing these structures, Hé! Architectuur embraced the typology's inherent flaws and approached the renovation as a prototype for densification and reorientation. The result is a compact, energy-conscious home that demonstrates how these common housing types can be transformed without erasure or nostalgic preservation.
While the transformation was grounded in Marc and Ann's personal needs, the Omloop Farmhouse offers a replicable model for addressing one of Flanders' most widespread housing typologies. The project shows how thoughtful renovation can breathe new life into buildings that might otherwise be considered architectural dead ends, creating homes that are both sustainable and deeply connected to their landscape context.
