A Modern Brick Masterpiece Hidden in the Hill

This house didn't start with a blueprint, it started with a hill. And the question, how do you design a house that disappears into its surroundings? That's what we will be exploring today. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Restless Living. My name is Christian Traumwedag and today we're in the eastern part of Belgium, touring House KM, designed by Architects Lab. When this house was designed, the natural setting shaped everything. A steeply sloping plot bordered by woodland with the rare opportunity to treat the side of the house as a new kind of front, facing not the street, but the trees. The building is dug into the terrain, anchored, grounded and almost hidden. From the street side, however, the house seems quite discreet, but trust me, from within you'll realize how it opens fully to the landscape. Let's head inside. The gallery-like entrance is completely stripped away from any items. It beautifully emphasizes the geometry of the interior volume, the skylight and the Cepo di Gre stone flooring from Italy. We'll get back to the downstairs, but for now, I just want to show you the social spaces. This one being the living room. And notice how it aligns completely with the garden, the terrace and the pool further on. It creates this seamless flow between the inside and out. Here you have the living space with a nice corner sofa. You have a beautiful bookshelf of walnut that gives a bit of warmth towards the otherwise cold stone. One stone, however, is the breccia capraia, which was used for the fireplace here. I mean, look how massive it is. It was for the first batch, at least. The transportation broke one of the stones, so there was a little bit of an issue there, but it managed to arrive. And look how it beautifully balances with the black aluminum and the black aluminum frames for the windows opening up towards these views. One interesting point I want to highlight is the brick overhang, which not only provides aesthetic value, but one of function. It creates this intimate atmosphere within the living space, and it keeps your windows clean from the rain. Behind the fireplace, the kitchen and dining area is visually separated from the living space. Notice here how the materiality has continued with the black accents that don't take away anything for the amazing views of the natural landscape. The kitchen is, of course, defined by the breccia capraia stone slabs here. I mean, notice the thickness of the stone. It's, of course, speaking to this robustness of the place, but at the same time, the light color scheme is sort of creating a contrast and bringing in a little bit more softness to the strong, rigid material. Also, the way that it combines with the walnut. I think it's incredibly elegant, this kind of feeling of understated luxury. On the backside of the kitchen, we have the pantry. There, the owners can stow away their kitchen appliances so they don't have to clutter all around the main kitchen. Nice. What do you think about the project so far? Leave a comment down below. Now let's explore the ground floor. This is mainly for the private spaces. First, you have a powder room or restroom. Look at the materiality again. It's just a different composition compared to in the kitchen, but with the same materials and then with the skylight bringing an ambient light down. Beautiful. Matte black fixtures. Love it. Everything about it. On the other side of the staircase, we walk into the cave. This is where the bedrooms are placed partially underground. The first one is the guest bedroom. Very minimal, but it has access to the garden. Next to it, you have the gym. Look at this. Exercising with a view. Straight with the rain and the beautiful forest right next to it. Let's go. Yeah, we don't have time for this. It's not a sports channel. And I want to show you the master suite because this is something truly special. This is it, guys. A master suite hidden underground built into the hillside. Feel this. Here, the material richness and symmetry is creating an incredibly intimate atmosphere. You got wooden floors. You have the walnut cabinets. You have this bench that is creating a moment of pause, a threshold, so to speak, where you can just get yourself together in the morning. I really enjoy the transition of spaces from the bedroom, the dressing room to the bathroom. Notice the beautiful bathtub. It's almost like a sacred altar with the morning fog coming in. You have the natural stone, the cebo di cre. It gives this cave vibe, but at the same time, everything comes together with the walnut and the diffused light. It almost whispers calm. Incredible. You have a shower cabin right next to it. It is literally like stepping into the deepest of the cave. Another genius detail is these mirrored sliding doors. They really speak to the quality of this house and completes the dressing room. Beautiful. A master bedroom. Very simple, but with the oak floor, walnut cabinets. You got subtle hidden lights that are just creating a little bit of atmosphere. And then, of course, the protagonist, the greenery outside with the landscape and the hill. I think it's time to go outside to show you the garden area. Out here, you have this quiet tension. On one hand, you have the razor sharp modern architecture with clean lines, steel frames and dark brick that almost feels monolithic. And on the other hand, you have nature textured, unpredictable and alive. And I think that's exactly what Architects Lab have been really successful with in terms of designing House KN. They have managed to merge the two, elevating both architecture and the natural landscape. From this perspective, you get to appreciate how the architecture just disappears into the hillside, creating this plateau where a garden oasis gets to create this moment of absolute serenity. And just look at the green roofs. They're not just decorative. They visually lower the profile of the building and help the home recede into the wooded background. And then there's a pool. It acts like a mirror. Look at that. It is beautifully carved into the lawn and offers this sense of retreat where the garden walls have been punctured to not just obstruct the view of the landscape. And it isn't just aesthetic. It anchors the garden composition, creating this sense of shelter and defines the space without needing a fence or barrier. The architecture itself sort of becomes a shield. Everything is just intentional, but it never feels forced. Instead, you have a rustic stone pathway transition between the pool area and the terrace, where the long table allows you to sit, enjoy a nice meal and just observe the beautiful landscape. Not bad. This place just feels timeless, not because it's trying to be, but because it's restrained in all the right ways. The rhythm of the facade, the alternating play of solid and void, full transparency on the upper floor, living, cooking, gathering spaces, all bathed in light, while the lower level feels more private, cocooned in a shadow. It's an elevation that tells a story about how life unfolds inside. In a world that often builds to impress, Architect's Lab chose a different path for Haus K.N., one of restraint, of stillness, of listening to the land before shaping it. Haus K.N. doesn't ask for attention. It slowly earns it. And in doing so, it reminds us that the most powerful homes aren't the ones trying to be anything. It's the ones trying to belong. I hope you enjoyed the tour. See you next time.