In Ghent, architect Machteld D’Hollander reshaped a site by removing what wasn’t needed and letting nature back in. The result is Martelaar, a residence that feels like it lives halfway between house and garden.

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The project adds two light garden pavilions to the site. They’re not heavy structures, more like frames that catch the changing light and open the space to vegetation. Moving through the layout feels less like walking through a house and more like shifting between garden rooms.

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The residence itself is linked to an adjoining professional practice, but the two stay distinct. Walls and pavilions divide the plot into separate outdoor spaces, each with its own mood. Some views open wide, others are screened. The design plays with movement and perspective, so every step reveals something new or hides something away.

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Martelaar is less about fixed boundaries and more about discovery. A place where living feels like hide and seek with the garden.