Location: La Hulpe, Domaine régional Solvay, Belgium.

Architect: 3deluxe.

3deluxe has redesigned a dormant 13,500-m²-yard in the historical setting of the prestigious castle complex “Domaine Régional Solvay” with the Château La Hulpe and a public park, located about 20 kilometres southeast of Brussels. The French style park was built in the first half of the 19th century. The new garden has a modern interpretation of two orangeries embedded in the floral inspired, organic structure. Flowing forms are laid out in curved lines of white colored concrete through the entire site, integrating the building with its organic glass recesses and the green roof, flowing down into the garden with its flower-shaped bed edges. The orangeries are 300 m² large and lie on a higher level than the garden surface. A main staircase to the garden connects both ashlars making them appear as reflecting parts of the construction work. The building of the orangery disposes of a common basement with storage and park possibilities. The concept takes into account the private developers’ long-term plan to convert parts of the orangery into living space. Orangeries have been used since the baroque era for the hibernation of sensitive plants in the cool climate of Northern Europe. The Château La Hulpe with its adjacent garden follows this tradition since 1842. As a reference to the history of the place, the concept refers to historic features such as the symmetrical basic order, the large-scale glazing, and the use for the hibernation of plants as well as for social events. The orangeries have a fascinating detail that is unveiled only from the bird’s-eye perspective: Together these free forms reveal a symmetrical identical floral ornament which adapts to the elevations of the area allowing the building and garden to merge in a total artwork. The high rooms flooded with light offer an elevated view of the garden as a whole, and the basement is suitable for the more private areas. Large windows and two adjoining, sheltered terraces reveal the view of the garden from both sides from the ground-level perspective.