Govaert & Vanhoutte Architects BVBA

Notary Van Damme

Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde

NOTARY VAN DAMME

Govaert & Vanhoutte Architects

LEAD ARCHITECT
Benny Govaert & Damiaan Vanhoutte

CLIENTS
Notary Van Damme

PHOTOGRAPHS
Tim Van De Velde

MANUFACTURERS   
Autodesk, Chaos Group, Atlas Schindler, Enjoy Concrete, Belisol, Cinema 4d, Deltalight, Microsoft, Obumex, Trimble

AREA
1485 m²

ENGINEERING
Bm Engineering

LOCATION
Bruges, Belgium

YEAR
2019

CATEGORY
Office Building

Text description provided by the architects.

Three notaries employ 24 employees in the Van Damme notary in Bruges. The building was designed around a number of essential spaces, such as auditoriums, meeting rooms, closed and open offices. This functional approach was aesthetically conceived to be reduced to its bare essentials.

Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde

Minimal is combined with warmth, with an emphasis on line formation and proportions. The main materials that dominate both inside and outside are glass & concrete. The facade is largely glazed, alternately combined with concrete.

Above the entrance, an overhanging glass cube provides shelter from the rain. The facade is a pattern of beam shapes in glass and concrete with well-considered proportions.

Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde

The right facade, which also mainly consists of glass, is veiled by a play of random thin concrete slats. The secondary entrance is located between the slats.

On the ground floor: the auditoriums, a multipurpose room, bar with kitchenette, an open office for administration, and also a closed office for 1 of the three notaries.

Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde

The 2 other notary offices are located on the 1st floor behind the concrete slats. The library is partly contained in the overhanging glass volume.

Furthermore, a spacious landscape office offers space for most employees. The basement provides space for archive, storage & fitness.

Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde

The underground space receives daylight via a skylight that borders on a patio at the rear facade. There is a strong link between inside & outside. The concrete of the outer shell is repeated inside the supporting structure.

The interior was further determined out of the strong presence of concrete. The combination with wood, natural stone, carpet, and white backgrounds creates the right contrasts between cold & warm, light & dark.

Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde

The gray concrete is softened by the dark tones of the furniture and carpet. The additional materials provide enough texture to provide the necessary tactility.

The materials enter into a dialogue with the concrete. Combined with sober lighting, there is a calm, serene atmosphere.

Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde

The open atmosphere inside, allows you to have a view of the green exterior from any room.

A logical flow between spaces such as a counter, waiting area, auditoriums makes it possible to receive the clientele in a natural manner.

Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde


Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde


Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde
Notary Van Damme
© Tim Van De Velde


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Govaert & Vanhoutte Architects BVBA
T +32 50 388822 F +32 50 392314
Govaert & Vanhoutte Architects BVBA
Oude Sint Annadreef, 8200 Brugge, Belgium