"The property was built in 1850 and the front facade in 1914. It has a rich past history. Originally, it was the repair room for the Le Lion brewery. Then a car dealer took advantage of the property. Ava stationery had its storage here for a while. There have also been several television shoots.

After seven years of vacancy, we visited the property under a thick layer of dust. As an architect, I immediately saw the great potential of the property. There was a certain atmosphere here. I was immediately sold. The solidity with which the property was built appealed to me immensely. Everything is made to last another hundred years, very solid!

When renovating the warehouse, I had two focal points. On the one hand, I wanted to respect the industrial and honest atmosphere of the building. On the other hand, energy and ventilation in an ecological and sustainable way was an absolute must.

The walls were insulated with 24cm of cellulose. The ceiling and floor were insulated. All cold bridges were dealt with. I used underfloor heating on wood pellets, a CO² neutral fuel. And a balance ventilation system provides air purification.

I consider the garden my showpiece. We have beautiful plants in the garden. Thanks to the favourable orientation and the necessary maintenance, the grass, plants and flowers do exceptionally well. Whenever possible, we eat outside to enjoy the garden."

Michaël Kruijne, www.kruijne.be