Architecture

Dutch Design Daily

1 / 8

By

By

By

By

By

By

By

By
Onix NL www.onix.nl

House with Tail

By 22-09-2020

Nominated BNA Best Building of the Year 2020

On the clearing in the wood a building plot was projected partly in the open part, but also partly in the wooded part. Between the open field and the wooded part there is a steep edge with a height difference of 2 meters.

“How nice would it be to have a space between the trees?” was the question when the architect and the clients stood together on the lot. The clients already had strong ideas about the shape of the ground and the roof, but had initially imagined their house entirely in the open field. By pulling the volume into the forest and allowing it to give way to the trees, the idea of  “House with Tail” was born.

The living room is now situated in the open space of the lot and has a wide view of the trees. This living room has an open connection with the study that is located higher up between the trees. In this room you have the feeling of being in a treehouse in the forest. The house is situated on the north-eastern side of the building boundary. This creates space centrally on the lot and on the south side. With the outbuilding on the southernmost building boundary, a yard is created which gives more privacy to the entrance side of the house.

On the outside the house is covered with black stained black wood which changes into metal plates of the same color. This is a reaction to the orientation of the house. On the north side, the wood can turn pale and moss formation may occur, which is why metal has been chosen.

The house is transparent toward the forest and closes on the side where other buildings are located. This creates privacy in the living space while it makes you feel that you are in the middle of nature. Another additional advantage of this orientation is that the open side is the north side. As a result, the house does not heat up too much in summer. On the west side, a large overhang ensures that the sun does not come in too far. It is also a nice place to enjoy the evening sun outside.

Photos: Peter de Kan