House in Dutch Polder

House in Dutch Polder

© Filip Dujardin

A 240 square meter villa designed by Marc Koehler Architects studio is located in the suburbs of Almeria, Netherlands, on a polder site recently reclaimed from the sea. The panoramic views and constant changes in depth, color, and light of the sky and landscape have become the main source of inspiration for the architects.

The villa is built very economically as a simple box maximizing volume, with a steel prefabricated structure as its base. The shallow but tall and wide building stands at the edge of the water, gaining maximum benefit from the surrounding landscape. Its front and back facades contrast each other in color and degree of openness.

The windows of the house copy the proportions of famous Dutch landscapes from the 17th century, creating a surreal feeling. As a trick, enlarged reproductions of original paintings are printed on sunscreens covering the windows.

Photos: Filip Dujardin