Reclaimed Bricks and Roof Tiles Help Double Housing in Kortrijk Garden City
YIMBY, short for Yes In My BackYard, is a housing project on Tuighuisstraat in Kortrijk by Belgian practice MAKER architecten, led by Ana Castillo and Lieven De Groote, with TETRA architecten. Built for client SW+, it was completed in 2024. In October 2026, the project received the RIBA International Emerging Architect Award, announced alongside the RIBA International Prize.
Densifying an Existing Neighbourhood
The site lies in a garden city from the 1920s where, according to the architects, gardens had gradually turned into garages and neighbours had grown apart. On a 3,685 m² site, seven plots were combined into three new buildings. The number of homes increased from 16 to 31, with a mix of housing types and shared spaces on the ground floor.
The architects see densification not as a goal in itself, but as a way to make better use of existing space, buildings, materials and infrastructure. A shared inner courtyard was restored at the heart of the block. Two terraced dwellings share a garden and a winter garden, which also serves as a common entrance hall.
Bricks and Tiles Reused on Site
Materials from the existing houses play a central role. The original bricks and roof tiles, more than 100 years old, were tested for quality and reused on site. Bricks that did not meet the structural requirements for façades were not thrown away: with help from a sheltered workshop, they were placed in gabions that now mark property boundaries.
For the new masonry, the team tested several mortar mixes before choosing a hybrid mortar. This should make it possible to take the bricks in the new buildings apart and reuse them again at the end of their life.
Layered Thresholds
Glass façades inspired by greenhouse construction slide open onto the gardens. Open-air galleries, covered areas and shared outdoor spaces create layered transitions between the homes and the street. Residents can choose when to engage with their neighbours, and privacy remains central to the design.
YIMBY also received the ARC25 award and the Kortrijk Architecture Prize in 2025. For architects working with existing housing stock, the project shows how reclaimed masonry and a mortar chosen for future reuse can support densification while keeping the character of the original neighbourhood.
Sources: Metalocus / ArchitectureLive! / Dezeen
Photos: Stijn Bollaert