Bruno Erpicum · Leuven
Residence Godshuis
Leuven
A private retreat in the heart of the city.
A compact, light-filled city residence by Bruno Erpicum, in dialogue with the 15th-century almshouse De Zevenslapers.
Brouwersstraat 15 · Historic heart of Leuven
Overlooking the Bruulpark
Introduction
A rare city residence where contemporary architecture, historical layering and absolute calm meet.
This minimalist contemporary city residence, designed by architect Bruno Erpicum, is in dialogue with the adjoining infirmary of the 15th-century almshouse De Zevenslapers, founded by the Leuven patrician Jan Keynooghe.
The house overlooks the green oasis of the Bruulpark, in the historic heart of Leuven, and offers an exceptional balance between light, silence and material.
Essence
Light, silence, material: three ingredients of a discreet architecture.
Light
The 8-metre high glazed façades draw northern light deep into the residence, connecting the interior with the park.
Silence
Acoustic glazing, pivoting doors, integrated technical installations and sound-absorbing marble-sand plasterwork create an exceptional atmosphere of calm and intimacy.
Material
Concrete, glass and old brickwork flow seamlessly into one another. The historic brick wall, bearing traces of the almshouses demolished in the 19th century, runs through all three levels.
The house, floor by floor
Three levels, one continuous architectural experience.
Ground floor
Privacy and function
The functional spaces, including the generous double garage, are grouped at the front. The entrance, guest bedroom and adjoining bathroom open onto the landscaped inner garden, ensuring maximum privacy and calm.
First floor
Living in the light
The living area with open kitchen unfolds on the first floor, accessible by lift or stair. The sloping ceiling follows the roofline and gives the space height and atmosphere. The master bedroom can be separated from the living space by a ceiling-height sliding door.
Second floor
Rooftop above the city
The second floor holds the generous south-facing rooftop terrace with adjoining kitchenette: a discreet outdoor room above the historic centre of Leuven.
Design
Bruno Erpicum & the language of simplicity.
Erpicum's style is defined by a search for pure simplicity. The house is sculpted rather than built: strict, massive and minimalist on the outside, yet warm, quiet and precise within. All built-in furniture was designed by Bruno Erpicum himself, so architecture and interior form a single whole.
“The secret of luxury is attention to detail in the service of a certain way of life.”
Heritage & context
In dialogue with six centuries of Leuven.
The residence stands in direct relation to the historic almshouse and former infirmary of De Zevenslapers behind it. Its concrete façades echo the scale of the historic ensemble, while inside the old brick wall forms a tangible memory of the almshouses demolished in the 19th century.
- ·15th-century almshouse De Zevenslapers
- ·Historic city centre of Leuven
- ·Bruulpark as a green oasis
- ·Contemporary architecture in dialogue with heritage
Gallery
A curated view through the residence.
Plans
Compact and clearly organised across three levels.
The house is compact and clearly organised, with lift and stair as the vertical spine, functional spaces on the ground floor, living on the first floor and a south-facing rooftop terrace on the second.
Ground floorEntrance, double garage, guest bedroom, bathroom and landscaped inner garden. Function and privacy at the front, calm on the garden side.
Essence
The residence in fifteen points.
- 01Designed by Bruno Erpicum
- 02Contemporary minimalist city residence
- 03In dialogue with the 15th-century almshouse De Zevenslapers
- 04Overlooking the Bruulpark
- 058-metre high glazed façades
- 06Northern light deep into the residence
- 07Living area with open kitchen
- 08Master bedroom with ceiling-height sliding door
- 09Guest bedroom with adjoining bathroom
- 10Generous double garage
- 11Lift and stair
- 12South-facing rooftop terrace with kitchenette
- 13Acoustically refined throughout
- 14Concrete, glass, old brickwork and bespoke joinery
- 15Full interior with built-in furniture designed by Bruno Erpicum
Contact
An exceptional residence cannot be fully described. It has to be experienced.
For more information, a discreet dossier or a private viewing, please get in touch.
Location
Brouwersstraat 15 / Coutereelstraat 78-80
3000 Leuven