Wooden House with Facade Made of Recycled Wood by HOYT in the Netherlands

Project: Wooden House with Facade Made of Recycled Wood
Architects: HOYT Architecten
Location: Netherlands
Area: 3,767 sq ft
Year: 2022
Photography by: Jaro van Meerten

Wooden House with Facade Made of Recycled Wood by HOYT

The architects at HOYT designed a wooden house with a facade made of recycled red cedar, inspired by historic wooden houses in the Dutch village of Brook-in-Waterland. The interior is mainly constructed from local pine wood, and the roof features the same tiles as the rest of the village. The first floor is designed as a fluid space with various zones and functions, emphasizing interaction between interior spaces and surrounding open areas. The garden includes a small guest cabin and sauna.

The historic village of Brook-in-Waterland is known for its large wooden houses. These historical homes were built in the 17th century, often by captains of the Dutch East India Company, one of the world's first multinational enterprises. Originally these houses were painted in various colors but later economic downturns forced people to use only gray primer for painting and maintaining the houses.

Today, the village is characterized by many gray standalone wooden houses. It's an important part of cultural heritage and a tourist attraction. At the edge of the village, there was an empty plot. Architectural norms and aesthetics committees required architecture that would consider historical context. The architects at HOYT designed a house on this site, which in scale, color and materials references old wooden houses but also has its own modern architecture.

HOYT aimed to create a modest appearance of an agricultural building common in this rural area. The facade is built from recycled red cedar removed from a demolished structure. The wood was extracted from another building, processed and used in the same dimensions and length as in the previous structure. Besides ecological advantages, it immediately acquires the distinctive patina of western red cedar. Additionally, the interior space is mainly constructed from local pine wood.

For the roof, HOYT used the same tiles as in the rest of the village to preserve its historical character. The first floor is designed as a fluid space that flows into various zones and functions. The main theme is the interaction between interior spaces and the extensive open area outside. Views of the fields can be felt throughout the house. In the garden, HOYT designed a small guest cabin and sauna.

–HOYT Architecten