JGK - Ura

About

URA is located in Brussels and is characterized by a broad spectrum of projects, varied both in scale and function. 'UR'-the name of the first city- supports a way of working. URA searches for universal, basic typologies and transforms them into a contemporary and precise identity in a specific context. The universal lies within the very specific. URA is led by two partners, Yves Malysse and Kiki Verbeeck.

YVES MALYSSE (°1973) yves.malysse@ura.be

Studied Architecture at Sint-Lucas, Ghent (BE). Worked for Robert Winkel, MVRDV, Bart Clement and Jo Crepain. Visiting Professor at TU Delft (2006-2007) and Academie voor Bouwkunst Rotterdam (2008-2009). Since 2002 he is Jury Member for several Architecture Schools and Institutions in Belgium and abroad.

KIKI VERBEECK (°1974) kiki.verbeeck@ura.be

Studied Architecture at Sint-Lucas Ghent (BE) and Architectural Sciences at KU Leuven (BE). Worked for uapS, OMA, LABFAC, Bernard & Georges Baines and Advisers. Visiting Professor at Sint-Lucas Ghent (2006) and currently teaching at KU Leuven (2010-...). Since 2005 she is Jury Member for several Architecture Schools and Institutions in Belgium and abroad.

COLLABORATORS

Benny Geerinckx (°1975) benny.geerinckx@ura.be
Michiel van der Loos (°1986) michiel.vanderloos@ura.be
Bram Van Sever (°1991) bram.vansever@ura.be
Carmen Vandermolen (°1992) carmen.vandermolen@ura.be
Soetkin Devolder (°1995) soetkin.devolder@ura.be
Jonathan Vanhove (°1993) jonathan.vanhove@ura.be
Vincent Vergote (°1994) vincent.vergote@ura.be
Tuomas Peippo (°1995) tuomas.peippo@ura.be
Eva Vermeulen (°1997) eva.vermeulen@ura.be
Louis Lories (°1995) louis.lories@ura.be
Ruben Otter (°1997) ruben.otter@ura.be
François Vande Perre (°1994) francois.vandeperre@ura.be
Nele Carlier (°1987) nele.carlier@ura.be
Paul Tschritter (°1996) paul.tschritter@ura.be

FORMER COLLABORATORS

Lisa De Keuleneire / Egon Pollers / Milène Senden / Pauline Truyens / Heleen Eskens / Mathieu Jeukens / Sindri Sigurðsson / Jasper Aerts / Eva Lo / Ruth Van de steene / Ana Horvat / Tim Belaen / Maarten Lambrechts / Charlotte Biesbrouck / Felice Van Tieghem / Marius Vaneeckhoutte / Pauline Durand / Florence Mareen / Lisa Van Com / Jonathan Robert Maj / Isaura Doumen / Jeroen Kessels / Diane Engels / Anton Parys / Harold Vermeiren / Wim Dirickx / Alexander Smedts / Adeline de Vrij / Kaat Volckaert / Pieter Burssens / Tom Broes / Garin Boghossian / Jan de Moffarts / Elena Dragu / Dora Freier / Sila Giriftinoglu / Carlota Marchena Lopez / Frederic Karam / Laura Navarro / Pablo Olmeda Puertas / Angel Pérez Rojas / Olivier Roegiest / Sara Rondou / Giulia Scirocchi / Lorenzo Stroobant / Toon Vanobbergen / Gaspard Van Parys / Francis Vanden Baviere / Mira de Middeleer / Sofie Lieben / Sofie Liesenborghs / Andrea Neri / Alessandro Luraschi

Text

JGK
Youth Hostel
Tourism Flanders, City council Kortrijk, Province of West Flanders, Howest
Kortrijk (B), 2011 – 2015
2.370 m²

The patrimony of a church and a presbytery, all covered behind a wall, is extended with a contemporary monolith. Similar in scale, a new solid volume is placed, floating above the wall. A new spatiality develops behind the cloister wall. Turned away from the street, a transparent plynth receives the public. Different public functions are placed in sequence. The concrete structure serves as a screen between each function. On top of the transparent base, a compact volume organises all rooms and circulation. Every floor contains a view – a vista – to the different aspects the city.

The solidity of the building contrasts with the softness of the interior. All interior spaces are are materialised and furnished by URA, referring to the history of the place.

In collaboration with Snoeck & partners, Boydens and Landinzicht
Photos by Filip Dujardin