Project Description
2by4-architects designed a unique recreational house on an island of 5 by 100 metres in the Dutch lake area ‚Loosdrechtse Plas‘. The house is a subtle frame that captures the view from the inside out and the outside in. Anticipating the client’s requirements, 2by4 designed the house in such a way that it can interact variously with the surrounding nature. One of the glass façades can be completely opened so that the wooden outdoor terrace becomes part of the interior. To blur the inside-outside boundaries further, the dark wooden façade can be folded open, opening up a panoramic view of nature. The folded façade becomes an abstract perpendicular element that floats above the water. By opening this part of the façade, the wooden floor of the living area is directly connected to the water, enabling the residents to access the lake from the living room.
Although the size of the house is limited, it still contains all the necessary functions and standards of comfort. A shower, toilet, kitchen, closets, storage and other functions are all integrated into a double wall. Depending on the required function, the spatial configuration of the wall can be modified, resulting in different atmospheres. The fireplace, which is suspended from the ceiling, also contributes to the changing of atmospheres, because it can be rotated towards the outdoor terrace for cosy summer evenings.
The orientation of the house is based on the sunrise and sunset. In the morning, cold light shines on the east façade, illuminating the white interior. In the evening, warm light flows into the west façade, announcing the end of the day.
Visitors arriving at the house enter it in sequences. Seen from the mainland, the house floats above the island. After arriving on the island itself, visitors are guided towards an elevated jetty that brings them to the terrace on the other side. The terrace continues towards the inside of the house, where it stops halfway. Here the floor material changes, becoming a raised platform from which visitors can look back at the nature that they just came from.
