When a centuries-old Dutch family house burned down, the homeowners decided to turn their tragedy into an opportunity to start from scratch with the creation of a new home that had all the fixings their old home didn’t. Studio Puisto Architects and Bas van Bolderen Architectuur were hired to realize the new construction: a modern, energy-efficient, and cost-effective house named Huize Looveld. Located in Duiven, the Netherlands, Huize Looveld follows the theme of resurrection with its new sustainable and site-specific design.

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Only a few retaining walls remained after the fire burned down the original house. Rather than commission a replica of the old home, the clients set their eyes on a contemporary home design with a well-organized interior. The new-build needed to be constructed as quickly as possible, and so the architects specified CNC-milled wooden wall elements prefabricated off-site and then installed on-site for a total construction time of eight months. High levels of insulation and a heat recovery system help cut down on energy costs. Solar thermal collectors and a wood-burning stove provide additional energy sources.

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Huize Looveld is clad in black-stained vertical strips of larch to blend the home into the natural environment. The interior, however, features only light-colored surfaces, from the white walls to the timber ceilings, all of which are bathed in natural light that streams through floor-to-ceiling glazing. The house is divided into three wings that come together at the centrally located double-height dining room. Large windows let in light and provide panoramic views of the landscape on all sides, save for the north where a high window brings in northern light. “This project was about breaking new ground, healing wounds, making a fresh start, collaboration, cooperation, listening, site-specific sensitivity, efficiency, cost effective design – in short, what we think architecture is about,” write the architects.

+ Studio Puisto Architects

+ Bas van Bolderen Architectuur

Via ArchDaily

Images via Marc Goodwin