Sensitive, sustainable architecture

Bespoke renovation, transformation and extension in Brussels, guided by light, materials and attention to detail.

Habibi ARCHI is the practice of Farah Lemaissi, architect in Brussels. It is a human-scale practice that supports each project from the very first sketch to the day the place comes to life: carefully designed, closely supervised on site, then handed over to the people who will live in it.

Starting from what is already there

Renovate rather than demolish, transform rather than add. Before drawing, we take the time to read the building: its structure, its original materials, the way light enters, the sequence of its rooms. These qualities become the starting point of the project. Often, making better use of existing spaces is enough to change the way you live in them, without building more.

Materials and detail

The choice of materials lies at the heart of our work. We favour healthy, long-lasting materials (bio-based, earth-based or reclaimed), chosen for their texture, the way they age and how they relate to the existing building. A staircase, a balustrade, a piece of joinery: every element is designed to measure, because the quality of a space is decided in its details.

Technique in the service of architecture

Drawing on experience gained in an engineering office, we integrate energy performance from the very first sketches. Technique supports the project; it never dictates it. For the energy side, see EPB 2050 Renovation.

Our renovations

• Deep renovation: insulation, windows, building services and complete refurbishment
• Brussels houses: terraced houses and townhouses, respecting the existing building
• Apartments and co-ownership buildings: energy renovation of buildings and homes
• Extensions: extensions and dormers in sustainable materials