In the historic centre of Ypres, URA architecten and Robbrecht & Daem architecten developed a mixed-use project. Formed by the buildings of a former school, the site already featured significant open spaces that refer back to the historical framework of the Saint-Jean-ten-Berge Abbey. The architects sought to build upon this structure by redefining and sharpening the spatial configuration. Through a surgical process of cutting away and demolishing what was deemed “superfluous,” the project fully commits to the creation of high-quality open spaces within the urban fabric. The existing buildings along the street edges of the former school are, for instance, considered valuable and are entirely preserved. The result is a site in which open spaces are framed by a mix of existing buildings and new L-shaped volumes. In total, 80 residential units, several commercial spaces, and an underground car park were designed. The structural shell of both the new buildings and the renovated structures is constructed using calcium silicate masonry blocks, complemented by selected concrete walls and precast concrete slab floors (predalles). The roof of the renovated building is made of steel trusses, and the terraces are constructed from prefabricated concrete. Only the walls separating the dwellings are load-bearing, allowing for flexible internal layouts.