Croissant by O.U.V.R.A.G.E.S: duplex living stitched to rooftop gardens in Forest, Belgium

In Forest, Belgium, O.U.V.R.A.G.E.S rethinks the familiar rooftop penthouse upgrade. Two spiral staircases rise like twin strands, giving each duplex apartment its own path to a roof garden and redistributing the building’s “best address” across all residents.

Croissant, reframes a common development reflex: add a single high-end penthouse to capture maximum value. O.U.V.R.A.G.E.S responds with a different proposition, one that shifts the project’s ambition from exclusivity to distribution. Instead of concentrating the rooftop into one privileged dwelling, the architects organise the building as a sequence of duplex apartments, each gaining access to the roof through a paired set of spiral staircases. The gesture is direct and legible, turning the roof into an everyday extension of domestic life rather than a sealed-off reward for one buyer.

The project’s defining image is also its working mechanism. The two staircases climb upward in parallel, reading like a double helix and acting as vertical streets that connect interior rooms to open air. Their presence anchors the architecture’s material language, substantial yet visually light, and continuously mediates between private dwelling and outdoor space. In this way, Croissant links housing to nature without romanticising it, using the roof garden as a practical amenity and a spatial equaliser. The conversion of former garage backyards into shared gardens extends the same logic at ground level, strengthening the building’s collective landscape while addressing urban density with usable, resident-facing green space.

Project Credit

Name: Croissant
Location: Belgium, Vorst
Design: O.U.V.R.A.G.E.S.
Completed: 2025
Photo: Maxime Delvaux