A Belgian beachside home transcends seasons to become a calming year-round family destination, the Knokke by Benoit Viaene. Working within an existing, heritage-listed structure, Benôit conceptualized an extension grounded in a unity of spaces oriented according to the sun’s movement and bearing his signature hallmarks of materiality, light, and craftsmanship.
An interaction between the home’s interior and outside garden and swimming pool has been created through a covered terrace that can be open or closed and used all year long, regardless of the season. The ground floor was conceived as an area for entertainment, with a large kitchen and dining area featuring distinctive wood flooring and paneling. Paradoxically, the detailed materiality of the home is a blank canvas for the selection of beautiful furnishings. Benôit explains that he didn’t want to create an interior that felt ‘brand new’ but instead an atmosphere with materials that felt as though they’d been there for many years.