Rural House in Northern Holland

Working on the project of renovating an old rural house in northern Holland, architects at SeARCH were faced with a challenging task: how to expand the building with a low-pitched roof on three sides and one high facade without losing its local identity?

The architects at SeARCH aimed to preserve the authentic character of the existing house. They only slightly altered the roof slope above the space of the traditional seneval, extending it from two sides far beyond the old brick walls. The newly added section accommodates a new living room, kitchen, and two bedrooms. The old part of the building houses other bedrooms, an office, and all service areas. The total area of the renovated structure is 430 square meters.

The old weathered facade planks were replaced with wood processed according to the Japanese Shou Sugi Ban technique, which not only highlights the decorative qualities of the material but also provides protective properties.

Photography: Ossip van Duivenbode