Villa V – a contemporary residence with a problematic site

Choosing the location is a very important step for anyone who wishes to build a new home. Sometimes you have it easy if you find a nice site but sometimes you have to deal with challenges. One example in this case could be Villa V. located in Bloemendaal, The Netherlands, this residence was designed and built by Paul de Ruiter Architects.

Villa v design15

It was clear from the start that the landscape was not something you could ignore. We’re not talking about unwanted slopes or other such difficulties but about the fact that the landscape was charming and had to be preserved as much as possible. As a result, solutions had to be found. A basement was built and this forced the ground floor to be positioned into the slope.

Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15

The first floor is perched on the ground floor and it overlooks the landscape. To emphasize the connection between the interior and exterior spaces and to also introduce the landscape into the interior décor, the north and south-facing facades are made mostly out of glass.

Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15
Villa v design15

The other two sides are more closed in order to offer privacy to the inhabitants. They are made of colored timber. The glass facades feature large sliding doors that can be opened and this way the whole room opens onto the exterior. Another element that emphasizes the indoor-outdoor connection is also the patio situated in the heart of the residence. It introduced natural light in all the rooms and it’s a very fresh and beautiful space.