Minus.05 consists of a ‘Day & Night’ section. ‘Night’ is the old part of the building where the sleeping quarters of the residents are now located. Not a single wall, floor, or door was moved or relocated. Inspired by the box-in-a-box principle, the old building with false walls did get a contemporary, blank interpretation and a framework through which techniques could be made invisible. ‘Day’ is the modern extension in the garden where the living spaces of the residents are located. The typical Flemish architecture of yesteryear with a succession of cottages was replaced by an elongated, 4x4x40 glass volume which, inside, is mainly characterized by floating furniture and a sophisticated puzzle of walls and lines that flow perfectly into one another. The transition from ‘Night’ to ‘Day’ is also undiscerned: with floors that flow seamlessly into baseboards. And with the same banked sense of calm in the perception of architecture throughout the building.
Designing is erasing, and as in all Minus realizations in Belgium and abroad, you will find proof of craftsmanship in the details at Minus.05. That is noticeable in a lot of aspects: down to the absent presence of sockets and other technology or the elaboration of a radiator grille in the storage room. Minus.05 is a pure style bible where minimalism is taken to the absolute extreme. In order to achieve this, Minus’ interior designers and cabinet makers are in need of their own joinery workshop in order to reach their standards. There, out-of-the-box ideas are being transformed into unique custom furniture, such as Minus’ floating cabinet modules, as well as its own design collection. The Minus craftsmen select the planks on the basis of the beauty of their wood grain and finish them with a pale stain or black lacquer.
Team:
Architects: Minus
Photographer: cafeïne
Materials Used:
Flooring: natural stone pietra bicci, existing floors and oak wooden floors
Doors: laquer, made to measure
Interior lighting: I guzzini and davide groppi
Interior furniture: made to measure by minus, Sofa living divani, Chairs carl hansen
