Photography by Chiel de Nooyer
In the middle of the forests in the heart of The Netherlands is an extraordinary residence. The residence was recently renovated with the focus on sustainability done by the architects Bob Ronday and Maxim Winkelaar. The residence is built in the early 20th century and the house is characterized in an English cottage style with white painted walls and a thatched roof. On the plot is also a double garage in the style of the house and all is surrounded by a large, beautifully landscaped garden. The house has received over the past one hundred years several different renovations. The most rigorous conversion is done in the 1970s and the character of the house changed by the addition of an oversized constructed porch.
The client wanted a house that is both livable and sustainable. One of the requirements was that all living areas are located on the ground floor. So, that in the near future, the house will become easily accessible when they get older. The design was carefully mapped out so that parts of the house could be reused, so nothing is carelessly removed out of the building.
Besides a thorough renovation of the house the existing porch received a new façade and with a new extension. The finishing and detailing of the existing porch was very dated, but the location and orientation in relation to the other living areas, was very useable. We used this space for the main bedroom with en suite bathroom and a spa / wellness.