HERKKANT
The grounds and buildings of the Herkkanthoeve were part of the castle estate of Schulen in Herk-de-Stad. The current appearance of the closed four-sided farm dates back to the second half of the 18th century: a number of brick buildings, grouped around a closed rectangular courtyard. The various buildings vary greatly in scale, function, style, and level of finish, ranging from a large simple barn, gatehouses, and stables to two beautiful historic residential buildings, with some well preserved interior elements.
A simple analysis of the floor plan and facades showed that the overall layout of the farm complex was thoughtfully designed. There are numerous axis lines, between the north and south gates, but also between the central entrances of the farmhouse and tenant house and the gates of the barn and the old pump house. Both the floor plan and the facade design exhibit many proportions based on the golden ratio.
The new residential units respectfully fit within the structural framework of the whole and the distinctiveness of the existing spaces: spacious and open for historical barns and stables, opposite the typical enfilade structure for a series of smaller connected rooms from the manor house. In the manor house, the interventions are therefore more small-scale, focusing on creating a number of sightlines and additional light within the historical structure. In contrast, the renovation of the pump house creates a more open spatiality under the monumental roof structure. The attic spaces of the manor house, milk house, and pump house are opened up to the ridge to highlight the authentic oak roof beams.
We restore or reinforce the original axes, which contributes to the legibility and adds value to the heritage significance of the farm. For example, the modified entrance hall of the tenant house is reopened to restore the sightline from east to west through the inner courtyard. In the design of the pump house, a sightline is also created from the entrance door, which replaces the gate, through the entrance hall and kitchen, towards the western garden. The two new glazed gates of the barn complete this axis. The new window openings are designed as closely as possible to the spirit of the original facade composition and symmetry, with similar proportions but on a larger scale. The most significant changes occur in the west facade of the pump house and the entire south facade—coincidentally, those parts of the farm where the most modifications had already occurred in the past. In other places, where the facades have higher heritage value, they remain unchanged.
The re-purposing project also places a strong emphasis on sustainability in a broad sense: maximum preservation and recovery, very high insulation standards using natural materials, bio-ecological finishes, and renewable energy through geothermal heat pumps and PV panels with linked batteries.
