WKA Penthouse by Bruno Spaas Architectuur: an architectural treasure
Blown away, that's how you feel when you enter the WKA Penthouse by Bruno Spaas Architectuur in Antwerp. The 15th-floor flat features a 360-degree view over the city and the water. The fact that the view immediately sets the tone from the moment you enter the building (the architects even moved the entrance for this reason) is part of the architectural vision, as is the future-proof layout of the spaces. And even though you are 50 metres above the ground here, the judicious selection of materials makes you feel earthbound. The end result is such a great success that Bruno Spaas himself moves in.
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Atypical, that's how you could describe Bruno Spaas' career path. From an early age, he dreamed of becoming an architect, but was not allowed to start those studies because he did not have a secondary school diploma. So, he ended up studying applied economics at KU Leuven, where he met Marc Verhagen, with whom he founded Weekendesk, the company behind Bongobon, a few years later. After selling the company he was somewhat searching for the next step. A chance encounter with an elderly lady revived his buried childhood dream. “So, I went back to school. Those architecture studies felt like coming home," he says. "Out of pure interest, I attended every class. And after my internship, I immediately founded my own agency."
Generous architecture
During his walks, he often passed Diener & Diener's residential tower on the Kattendijk dock. "The upper floor was still in shell state, after more than 10 years, which I could see from the street. I got in touch with the owner indirectly and was able to buy the flat. I considered it a portfolio project, to be resold later. Therefore, the design needed to suit different types of people and families, which required me to opt for a generous sustainable architecture. That's why, for example, the worktops in the kitchen are designed for 3 different heights."
This generosity simultaneously entailed the challenge of still creating an unambiguous architecture without being compelling. In the form language, vertical lines (a reference to the tower) can be found all over, as can the use of terrazzo, the integration of lacquered fixed furniture and a subtle interplay with sight and light, with reflection and transparency. "Despite this sleek form language, a resident can still use the spaces in 101 ways. For example, the three bedrooms could just as easily be used as offices or TV rooms," he explains.
Focus on sustainability
No matter where you are in the 350-square-metre flat: you can feel that the flow is right everywhere. That's what Spaas very deliberately focused on, because he considers a good sequence of spaces to be a form of sustainability. "If your plan is well constructed, your building will last longer. The same applies to materialisation: trends are cool for a while, but their use is not sustainable." So, he also strives for sustainability in the use of materials, "but always in a pragmatic way", he stresses. The Flagstones originate from a quarry located near Tienen, and for the walls and ceilings natural loam was used. "That material allows for good acoustics and good humidity. And instead of air conditioning, we opted for a climate ceiling and a climate floor. These are all elements that have a major impact on the comfort of the residents."
It is also because of convenience reasons that Spaas had 3 AQUALEX taps installed: a Fine Touchpad with still and sparkling water in the bar and a Twin Touchpad (with sparkling, chilled and boiling water) and a Fine model with normal tap water in the kitchen. "Lugging glass or plastic bottles of water 15 floors up is not exactly practical. I also definitely wanted a tap that could provide both still, boiling and sparkling water. I was introduced to AQUALEX through a trade fair, and this brand was also recommended to me by a friend who owns one of their taps at home. In my opinion, the design of the taps is very successful; they fit into my vision of sustainable design."
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