Refuge / NWLND Rogiers Vandeputte

Architects: NWLND Rogiers Vandeputte
Area: 126 m²
Year: 2021
Photography: Johnny Umans
Manufacturers: OTIIMA
Structure: UTIL Struktuurstudies
Landscape: Jeroen Provoost
City/Location: Bonheiden
Country: Belgium

Set within a suburban plot in Bonheiden, Refuge by NWLND Rogiers Vandeputte forms a compact garden pavilion conceived as both a retreat and a mediating structure within a reimagined landscape. Positioned at the center of the site, the project aligns with the organizing axes of the existing villa and the irregular boundaries of the parcel, creating a geometric anchor for the surrounding outdoor spaces. The pavilion incorporates a swimming pond, an etching studio, and a series of carefully arranged exterior programs that support the daily life of the garden. Its concrete construction is articulated through precise openings that frame views outward, and a circular motif orchestrates both interior spatial cohesion and the landscape elements that extend from it. A nuanced red tone ties the pavilion to the main house and related structures, while large glazed surfaces modulate the relationship between sheltered interior spaces and the more exposed exterior. The result is a small but influential architectural insertion that reorders the once-untended setting into a coherent and contemplative environment.

Rather than simply adding a secondary structure to a suburban garden, the architects approached Refuge as a recalibrating device for the entire site. The original house had been reconstructed, but the landscape was left to grow without oversight, producing an unruly field that lacked orientation. Introducing the pavilion at the garden’s center transformed this condition, allowing the design team to reinterpret the terrain through deliberate geometry and programmatic clarity.

The pavilion sits on a controlled concrete footing that establishes visual stability amid the evolving vegetation. Its placement respects both the villa’s dual axes and the angular edges of the property, creating an ordering system that links built elements with natural features. Around Refuge, complementary outdoor components were positioned with precision, including a filter pond, patio, storage functions, and a bicycle shed. These elements generate a sequence of experiences that hinge on the pavilion’s role as an intermediate point between dwelling and landscape.

Inside, the spatial identity is governed by a circular arch that unifies the interior and sets the tone for the landscape strategies beyond. This motif extends into a circular garden enclosure, conceived as an abstracted clearing, which echoes the curvature removed from the roof plate. As visitors move through and around the pavilion, a series of framed views reestablish dialogue between the contemporary intervention, the existing house, and the surrounding vegetation.

Materially, the shelter is defined by a robust red concrete shell whose coloration subtly references both the villa and the deep red brick used in nearby garden elements. This hue creates a measured contrast with the abundant greenery, strengthening the sense of the pavilion as a sculpted object within a living environment. A new sand-colored concrete path connects street, house, pavilion, and a yoga platform, reinforcing a calm yet continuous circulation route across the property.

The pavilion’s large sliding opening aligns precisely with a key axis of the main house, dividing the structure into a more exposed exterior zone and a protected interior space. Metal components throughout the garden—ranging from lighting poles to gates—share the same purple-red tone as the joinery, tightening the visual coherence of the ensemble. With its combination of spatial rigor, material nuance, and landscape reintegration, Refuge operates as both a retreat and a stabilizing presence at the heart of a once-untamed suburban plot.