Dockboot Holiday Home
On the island of Schiermonnikoog off the north coast of the
Netherlands, directly bordering the dune landscape, this
modest, yet surprisingly spacious, environmentally sustainable
holiday home blends perfectly into its surroundings. Due to
the extended periods that the family stays there, the island’s
maximum domestic footprint of 110m2 was insufficient. The
majority of the building’s functions have been programmed
into the underground floor, thus achieving the desired spatial
quality and size, while ma intaining the structure’s affinity with
its surroundings.
The L-shaped house is positioned very naturally in the dunes,
and its form provides good differentiation between the private
and public areas. On the private side, a glass façade offers the
occupants an excellent view of the beautiful surroundings. The
street façade is closed except for a long horizontal window
along almost its entire length, allowing passers-by to catch a
glimpse of what is happening inside. As a result, the house is
illuminated by sunlight throughout the whole day.
The façade is made of larch-wood of varying widths and colours
that will become increasingly grey over time, blending in further
with the dunes. The roof – consisting of wood, zinc and moss
sedum – will further contribute to this process. The height and
form of both roof and façade have been continuously adjusted
to the dune surroundings, which also enables the house to
develop its own unique character.