We often allow deep intimate encounters with nature slip through our fingers caused by everyday distractions. Our design for Villa Bos intents to prevent just that. We created a structure to experience the beautiful river Rhine in a more intimate and meaningful way. It prepares the visitor through a journey and makes them perceptive to see, hear and sense in ways unknown to them.
How you arrive at a beautiful landscape amplifies the magnificence of the view. At villa Bos the first impression is sober. The shape corresponds with neighboring houses, not demanding your immediate attention. The opening however gives an insight of what lies behind, a frame for the view. The frame is pure and simple, without distractions such as doorsteps, to really focus your attention to the essence.
Once inside, you are welcomed with an immense light shining from an immense window in the roof. The way the frame is invisibly detailed makes that you still have the feeling that you are outside. It creates a sense of wonderment and a unique relation between inside and outside.
You continue your journey to the right, to the hallway to take of your coat. The narrow dark space makes it thus that you experience the next room’s height and luminosity with more intensity. Momentarily you are screened from the view, all to build suspense. The archetypical form of the front view slowly morphs into a modern rectangular shape to perfectly frame the view. Finally, when you enter the living room the walls open and the landscape comes flooding in.
We have removed all distractions. Through minimal detailing and materializing we focus the attention. All to make the arrival more rewarding. The entire house acts like a vessel and creates an interesting journey throughout the building. As a result, the house allows for a deep intimate encounter with nature. It becomes a vessel for seeing the view with ‘a new set of eyes’ and leaves the spectator completely and utterly in awe.
Team:
Architect & Interior: Huibers van Weelden Architects
Project Architect: Coco van Weelden, Johan Huibers
Client: Ies and Nelleke Bos
Contractor: Carpentry company Soetendaal
Constructor: Engineering firm Van Roekel & Van Roekel
Photographer: Jan Ketelaar Film
