Show home impresses, right from the first glance at its façade

Cross-laminated timber specialist Van Houtven is showing off its skills with a modern show home in Astene (BE). The project combines the latest techniques and healthy living comfort with an aesthetically pleasing finish. Both inside and on the façade, various finishing techniques sit side by side, enhancing one another.

Van Houtven is a specialist in cross-laminated timber construction. This carbon-neutral construction method uses OSB boards made under high pressure and requires a specific approach, but offers a whole host of benefits in return. It results in fewer thermal bridges, for example, and makes it easier to create large cantilever overhangs. What's more, this dry-wall method allows for extremely quick turnaround times, and its stability prevents subsidence at a later stage. On the condition that the prefabrication process is done properly, that is, with due attention for all elements that need to be integrated. 

"This prefabrication process takes up a significant amount of time, but you easily win that back given the ease of installation on site", according to Gianni De Clercq, site coordinator at Torck, the installation firm that fitted the Renson screens, the Linarte façade cladding and the eSafe parcel letterbox. "That's the case for the entire construction process, and all the more for our share. In cross-laminated timber construction, it's essential that the plans are accurate down to the millimetre. All cut-outs for pipes, cables and so on are put in place while the prefab kit is being manufactured. And that requires positive synergy between all partners involved in the construction project. We certainly had that in this case. In fact, the intensive prefabrication process instantly provided the foundation for a high-quality façade finish using Linarte, including a perfect connection with the window openings and near-seamless integration of the sectional door."

We like working with Renson. Their combination of patio covers, screens, façade cladding and a parcel letterbox makes them a really rewarding option when it comes to creating a uniform, stylish and timeless architectural aesthetic and outdoor environment.

Architect Koen Vekeman

Timeless appearance with sustainable techniques

To help design the home, Van Houtven turned to architect Koen Vekeman. "The home was designed as a detached home, but also offers a clear picture of what a semi-detached home using cross-laminated timber could look like. The open plan optimises the view to the rear, the thickness of the floor structure contributes to the home's energy efficiency, and the floor-to-ceiling joinery is integrated glass-on-glass with recessed profiles," Vekeman comments when asked about the architecture. "It was important to us that this show home demonstrated the versatility of this unusual construction method in every possible way. In terms of typology, but equally in terms of finishing. That's why we came up with the idea not to settle for a single façade technique, but to combine different finishing options instead."

The façade shows off a range of techniques that can be used with cross-laminated timber construction: concrete-look plaster, façade bricks and Linarte, the vertical aluminium façade cladding by Renson. Thet latter product is one that no longer holds any secrets for architect Koen Vekeman. "We like working with Renson. Their combination of patio covers, screens, façade cladding and a parcel letterbox makes them a really rewarding option when it comes to creating a uniform, stylish and timeless architectural aesthetic and outdoor environment. Every element integrates perfectly with all other elements, and with the building as a whole. The screens, for example, are matched to the colour of the joinery, which allows for near-invisible integration. Combined with cantilevered awnings on the other windows, they provide a passive solution for overheating, resulting in an impressive EPB certificate.

Deep bronze hue for a warm allure 

During a visit to the showroom of Torck, a Renson Premium Ambassador, Van Houtven decided the EVEN profiles in the Linarte family were the perfect fit for the project. Given the various façade finishes, a deliberate choice was made to limit the composition to a single profile type. As Koen Vekeman recalls it: "We were looking for a deep bronze colour with a timeless appearance. On top of that, this hue was the perfect match for the palette of softer, earthy colours elsewhere in the project, including in the Scandinavian furniture inside. The eSafe parcel letterbox is finished in the same colour for a uniform look. It offers added convenience to the residents, who can have both letters and parcels safely delivered at any time. 

To bring the best out of the aluminium façade cladding, every last detail was planned ahead of time. In fact, that was the secret formula for perfect integration of the LED lighting, the video doorbell and the sectional door. "Exactly because of these types of details, we always work with a prefab kit for our Linarte projects", Gianni De Clercq adds. "Instead of cutting on site, we order the profiles in the length we need. Placement was quick and easy, thanks in part to the dimensional accuracy of the cross-laminated timber element. The ends are also finished in the same colour, so no awkward unpainted ends can be seen when the door opens, as that would be a shame in a project with this level of finishing.

Positive reception

As a construction firm, Van Houtven was already familiar with Renson products. Integrated Renson screens often feature in Van Houten's projects, and the new heat pumps are also becoming an increasingly common sight. As such, the façade cladding system offered by one of the firm's preferred brands served as the perfect addition to its latest show home — the opening ceremony for which saw more than a hundred people attend. The overwhelmingly positive response to the home in general and to the façade in particular served to confirm what the partners on the construction project already knew: this marked a successful combination of finishing techniques, not to mention further proof of Linarte's versatility.