Living the landscape

Immersed in a green garden on the edge of the Bloemendaal forest in the north of Holland, and within the boundaries of the Zuid-Kennemerland national park, Villa Bloemendaal 3 stands out for its decidedly modern architecture based on elements like a compact structural envelope, flat roofs and terraces, and distinctive openings in the living area, overlooking the natural world outside. Designed by Dutch architects HofmanDujardin, the villa consists of thee offset, superimposed volumes that combine to create an original shape, characterised by levels that protrude in different ways to break up the building’s vertical development.
The ground floor houses the fully interconnected living space and affords direct access to the garden through large, sliding glass doors in the day zone and dining room. The upper floors feature large panoramic windows that in some cases occupy almost the entire wall and provide splendid views over the garden and forest. Two large terraces extend above the first and second floors and provide the ideal environment for relaxing and watching the sunset.
Another highly characteristic aspect of the building is its exterior wall covering. This seems to serve a dual purpose: firstly to protect the envelope inside a tough skin capable of withstanding atmospheric agents, and secondly to help the building merge gently and discretely into its surroundings. The chosen covering is porcelain tile. The architects appreciate the technical and aesthetic specifications of this material so well that they use it frequently in indoor and outdoor applications. Of all the products on the market, the team chooses Italian tile whenever possible. In this case, the architects adopted Multiformato strip tiles from Coem’s Pietra Valmalenco collection, in anthracite finish. Architect Michiel Hofman explains: «We chose this product for its highly unusual surface, which seems to change appearance depending on the weather. The tiles look darker in cloudy weather and sparkle in sunlight. This makes the building look like a jewel set harmoniously in the landscape.»
The decisive anthracite grey of the exterior walls blends into the shade provided by the vegetation and contrasts purposefully with the building’s interior. Clearly visible through the large glass openings, the inside of the house is furnished in a sober, minimalist style but still looks warm and welcoming. The ground floor living zone, the first floor night zones and the second floor utility zones feature a colour palette for furnishings and finish based on delicate, natural hues. These range from white for the plaster to beige and light earth for the curtains, furniture and complements. Among other materials, pride of place goes to wood, which covers all the indoor floors in large matt blocks. «In response to our clients’ requests, we try to create rooms that communicate with each other and with the outside world.» The architect concludes, «We believe in promoting a more dynamic and social approach to living, one that offers the necessary privacy but adapts easily to change in the world around us.»