Frassem
complete renovation of a rural house
design
Client:
Private
Location:
Frassem-Arlon (BE)
Date:
2022 - 2024
Confronted with a traditional layout divided into small, low-ceilinged quadrants, the decision was made to favor structural liberation over compromise. To introduce fluid circulation while preserving privacy between floors, the interior was completely hollowed out, dedicating one full quarter of the building to a singular, vertical circulation spine. This central core - a sculptural network of floating corridors and stairs crafted entirely from raw steel and perforated metal sheets - acts as a vertical light well, filtering sunshine deep into the floor plates and fluidly reconnecting the open living spaces.
Managing a transformation of this scale required a thoughtful approach to balancing high architectural ambition with an extremely strict budget. Central to this effort was a close, hands-on collaboration with the client and the local contractors. Etudes F worked hand-in-hand with the steel fabricators to optimize the technical detailing of the central staircase, ensuring its feasibility without compromising on structural elegance.
To offset these costs, the rest of the building relies on a philosophy of material restraint. The original structural walls and façades were cleaned out but kept in their brut, weathered state, with clean finishes applied only where strictly necessary for daily comfort. The resulting spaces celebrate a compelling architectural duality: the intense efforts of the construction process remain proudly visible, staging a deliberate dialogue where sharp, contemporary metalwork gracefully touches the heavy, historic textures of the original 19th-century masonry.