Floating effect thanks to Linarte façade cladding 

A modern villa with large windows and façade masonry that seems to float: that’s the signature of architect Paul De Boelpaep in Merchtem. To achieve the concept of an apparently floating volume, Renson’s Linarte, a vertical aluminium façade cladding, proved to be the ideal solution – with a perfect integration of windows, doors and technology as the icing on the cake. 

‘A place of tranquillity’ was what the owners requested for the design of this new build. They placed their trust for its interpretation in the capable hands of architects Paul and Kaatje – father and daughter – De Boelpaep. ‘The owners were fans of sleek design but didn’t just want a white cube. We therefore created a contrasting façade image through our choice of materials. Pale brickwork interacts with black aluminium joinery, which makes the masonry appear to float,’ says Paul De Boelpaep. 

The owners were immediately convinced by the concept, but they did make one important caveat: the joinery, and the façade cladding in particular, had to be colourfast and resistant to dirt. Linarte, the vertical aluminium façade cladding from Renson, met these requirements. ‘It’s also the ideal way to integrate windows, doors and even technology almost invisibly,’ adds Koen Coffé, owner of Renson Ambassador Suncomfort. ‘This created uniformity and tranquillity in the façade, reinforced by the choice of colour that matches the rest of the exterior joinery.’ 

Pale brickwork interacts with black aluminium joinery, which makes the masonry appear to float

Architect Paul De Boelpaep

Sleek yet playful 

The colourfastness and easy maintenance have already convinced more of the architectural firm’s customers to choose aluminium over wooden façade cladding. The architect duo worked with Linarte Block 16-profiles for this project. ‘They add a playful touch to the design while keeping it sleek,’ is how they explain their choice. They also invisibly incorporated a front door with an electric lock and a storage door into the façade. ‘The handy built-in modules made it simple to also seamlessly integrate an outdoor tap and several sockets.’ 

The technology is subtly incorporated into the aluminium profiles. Suncomfort carried out the work skilfully, thanks to the ease of installation offered by Linarte. ‘The fixation system makes installing the blades easy, just like the optional wooden inserts or LED modules,’ says Koen Coffé from experience. ‘The system with individual blades allows for corners, finishes and so on to be perfectly aligned after clicking into place.’ 

For both the architect and installer, as well as the owners, the result is a success. And the residents will be able to enjoy it for a long time, as architect Paul De Boelpaep explains: ‘We’ve worked with Linarte before and know from experience that the elements continue to look good, even after many years. That’s obviously important for our customers.’