STW0057 – OLSENE – GRASHEIDE – Study Village Living
design: study research by design village living and heritage
client: Team Vlaams Bouwmeester
designteam urbanism and landscape: Studio Thomas Willemse – collaborator: Bram Vidts
designteam architecture and urbanism: agmen
period: 2024 – 2025
The need to densify residential fabric is nothing new. However, when this issue is addressed in a peri-urban or rural context, it all too often results in suburban sprawl or generic apartment blocks. So how can we respond to this need while preserving the qualities of the village landscape?
Within the framework of the Flemish Government Architect’s theme of “village-ness”, we explored how new architecture can embody the character of the village in a denser residential model.
Under the subtheme “heritage”, we conducted design research in two villages: Olsene and Grasheide. Both sites are situated in key locations within the village fabric and are linked to heritage assets — a former manor house and a historic rectory, respectively.
In Olsene, we envisioned a new type of court that enables densification while maintaining open space and the village’s distinctive identity. By arranging homes around a collective court — framed by greenery and space for water — a structure of interconnected courtyards and fields emerges.
In Grasheide, the rectory garden currently disrupts the clustered layout of the village centre. By opening this garden and linking it with a greener church square, we propose a shared courtyard that anchors the functions of village life around it.
Both projects contribute to renewed insights into how village centres can be densified in a qualitative way. At the same time, they enrich village life through the introduction of shared, collective functions. Open space is used meaningfully through intelligent densification, enhancing the public character of the village.