Villa V is located in Park Brederode, part of a protected area of dunes in the city of Bloemendaal. Given the area’s environmental status, we were keen to preserve as much of the site and area around the villa as possible. We were able to achieve this by building into the slope of the dune, and delivered an energy-neutral house equipped with every luxury and comfort and built largely from natural materials.
The villa is perfectly suited to its location. The minimalist box that constitutes the first floor perches above the original dune and the lower floors, which are embedded in the former. The north and south façades consist primarily of floor-to-ceiling glass walls framed in French oak. In contrast, the east and west façades are largely closed-off, built as they are from Waxedwood. A large central skylight floods the heart of the villa with daylight.
The villa’s energy needs are met sustainably and efficiently by means of a combination of geothermal and solar thermal technology. The garage includes a service area, which houses a geothermal storage system and heat pump; and the roof features alternating sections of sedum — which reduce energy requirements by providing warmth in the winter months and keeping the place cool in the summer — and solar panels, which feed energy from the sun to the storage system below.
We worked with interior architects i29 to ensure that our use of natural, minimalist materials for the exterior features was repeated in the interior of the home. The interior is thus informed by a carefully judged use of veneered plywood, which contributes to the home’s range of neutral palettes and lends the place a consistent understated character.
| Location | Bloemendaal |
| Total floor area | 489 m² (including a 154 m² cellar) |
| Parcel | 994 m² |
| Project description | Energy-neutral villa |
| Start of design | April 2010 |
| Start of construction | November 2010 |
| Project completion | November 2011 |
| Client | Private |
| Project architect | Paul de Ruiter |
| Project team | Chris Collaris |
| Structural engineering | Quinten R. Wildeboer |
| Landscape architect | Kamsteeg Tuinen |
| Contractor | Scholz Groep |
| Interior architect | i29 (i.s.m. Paul de Ruiter Architects) |
| Photography | Tim van de Velde & Peter Lipton |
