The leading authority for the Architecture & Design community Recharge in a Restored Spanish Farmhouse in Menorca Words: Jane Margolies Photography: Luc Roymans/Living Inside But the Belgian residence that Sven Bullaert has conceived for him and his family comes close Its timber walls are filled with lime hemp their sides shaped by willow branches that have been smoothed over with loam The flooring starts with a layer of crushed seashells Bullaert approached the creation of the 5,400-square-foot home the same way “a bird makes his nest,” he begins piecing together natural materials with an eye for comfort and functionality Bullaert has also infused the setting with a quiet beauty He decided to transform it into a home for his family drawing inspiration from the architecture of Antoni Gaudí and César Manrique as well as nature-based construction methods he’d learned on travels to countries along the equator The two-story building had been divided up to segregate livestock—sections each for horses and smaller animals like pigs and chickens he left some where they had been and eliminated others to create spaces that flowed into each other Furthering the flow—and fostering family interaction—he opened portholes on walls so that the smell of soup bubbling in the kitchen would waft about Skylights and generous windows were added to open the house to the outdoors Bullaert hired sculptors who took a break from their own artistic endeavors to hand-trowel the loam mixture onto the curving willow branches so walls have an adobe effect yielding the interior’s many arches and rounded corners—organic shapes that Bullaert believes make the home “warm and embracing.” Work on the house was very much still in progress when Bullaert and his wife and collaborator moved in with their toddler and Bullaert’s two older sons from his previous marriage which encompass three bedrooms and two bathrooms but will ultimately have five and three the joy of the unfinished,” Bullaert notes The hanging iron fireplace in the living room was carefully positioned so that the sight of its crackling flames could be enjoyed while seated in the conversation pit An amoeba shape was cut out of the carpet under it the flooring there topped with surfacing made from flattened pebbles The Bullaert clan has been trying them out in the house’s music room The speakers are one of several projects the designer is pursuing with his firm has dedicated Umu to advancing ventures that encourage a simpler more sustainable and spiritual life—he chose the name umu because he feels the word connotes a wave; he later learned it means sharing common beliefs in Arabic Another Umu endeavor is an eco-village under development in Akosombo a partnership with a local chief who cofounded the Royal Senchi resort there and making products like Belgian chocolate infused with African and Asian medicinal herbs The village residences will be far more modest in size than Bullaert’s but the plan is to build them using the same carefully considered—and century-old building in Spain’s Balearic Islands is now home to Artchimboldi Menorca originally built as a schoolhouse in 1900 an… The Studio founder Paul Vanrunxt completely overhauls a three-story structure Get a look inside the homes and studios of these artisans and product designers that take a hands-on approach to their work/life balance Kengo Kuma creates a rhythmic three-dimensional façade of repurposed copper plates for Tokyo café Wakuni Shoten Discover how Killa Design’s futuristic Shebara Resort in Saudi Arabia is grounded by Rockwell Group and Studio Paolo Ferrari’s human-centered interiors Discover how this East Harlem townhouse gets a saturated new look thanks to the visionary collaboration between owner Gordon Espinet and LAMILL Design Stores at Eksaarde and Wevelgem have been refurbished while a third store at Mechelen is a new opening the partner of multinational hypermarket chain SPAR in Belgium has announced the development of the supermarket brand’s store network in the country with two re-openings and one new launch The relaunched stores are in Eksaarde and Wevelgem and the new opening is in Mechelen The renovated SPAR Eksaarde opened in November 2023 and stocks an improved offering of fresh and local products the 700m² store features a CO₂ installation underfloor heating through a heat recovery mechanism SPAR Eksaarde store manager Kevin De Storme stated: “We try to focus heavily on our local products fruit juices and strawberries that are grown or cultivated in our village.” Colruyt Group reopened SPAR Wevelgem after renovating the store’s interior Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis In addition to fresh and local products from the surrounding region and bakery and delicatessen sections the store features a fresh sushi department The new store features the first SPAR ENJOY food-to-go solution offering healthy meals prepared with fresh ingredients SPAR Lamot is the second store owned by entrepreneur Kristof Merckx and is equipped with a refrigeration system that reduces CO₂ emissions by 90% compared with traditional refrigeration systems It also features energy-efficient LED lighting and a heat pump  Merckx stated: “Being able to run a supermarket in the centre of my city is a dream.” Independent retailers Rudi Meeus and the Van der Poel family reopened their SPAR supermarkets in Belgium in October 2023 following extensive refurbishment programmes Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network. © Tim Van de VeldeThe kindergarten, the more protected program of the building is oriented towards an adventurous playground behind the living areas.  The living rooms can extend towards the exterior by opening the sliding windows and create open air living areas. Kids can easily walk out underneath a canopy before they climb up the hills or cycle around the bicycle track. © Tim Van de VeldeThe materials are warm and recognizable bricks within the same color palette and sand colored washed concrete Refined and simple architectural gestures make the building easy to grasp The public square feels enclosed through the concrete beams above The brick walls lead one to the entrance and are continued in the interior of the library The park is continued through & around the project the seasons while meeting in or around this new community center You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email