NEW BEGINNINGS

After failing to find a house that met their needs, an enterprising Dutch couple build an eco house from scratch

If you can’t ind an eco home to buy, follow the example of this Dutch couple and build one yourself

Creating a home from the ground up proved too tempting for Stefan Prins, an architect, and Diana van Staalduijnen, a senior brand manager. The couple had been looking for a place in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, but couldn’t find anything with enough space, a garden, good orientation and within a suitable neighbourhood. “After a while, it felt impossible,” says Stefan. “That was the moment we said, ‘If we can’t find it, let’s create it ourselves.’”

What they managed to find was a disused sports field that was being developed as an experimental sustainable neighbourhood. There are 46 houses on what was once a hockey field, and they all use natural materials, mainly wood. “The location is unique,” says Stefan. “It is very green and surrounded by trees. And it’s only 10 minutes by bike to the city. What we love about the neighbourhood is the intimacy, the garden and the sustainability of it.” It’s an ideal location, too, for the couple’s young daughter, Mia, 11 months, to grow up playing with other children.

The design and construction took around a year in total, a relatively quick process, as the building was prefabricated. It also has a lot of eco credentials – the long side is orientated towards the sun and covered with solar panels, and a large rear window brings sunshine into the house in the latter part of the day.

The couple wanted to create a home with a summer house feel but with elements of city loft living. They decided to collaborate with an interior designer and engaged the services of Holly Marder and Hedda Pier of The Hague-based Avenue Design Studio. “The design has a lot of straight lines and Holly helped to add a softer touch with woods - walnut for contrast and texture, oak for warmth – and linen, wool and clay,” says Stefan. “The natural materials help balance the harder, colder materials used, such as steel-framed doors, a black kitchen, resin floors and lots of glass, and so do the textural elements such as woven details, subtle patterns and warm, interesting textures.”

Holly points out that Stefan, being an architect, was interested in clean lines and architectural details whereas Diana was focused on creating cosiness and comfort while referencing Scandi-style interiors. “Stefan and Diana both wanted something they could grow into,” says Holly. “We aimed to create a home that feels cosy but modern, with texture to balance the architecture.”

One of the most prominent features is that six-metre-high glass wall at the rear. Window dressings were required for privacy and to keep the space warm. It was a challenge to find the right solution, but the designers selected a lightweight linen and created curtains in four panels. “They highlight the window beautifully from the inside, adding drama and framing the glass in an interesting way, but also o er the functionality that was needed,” says Holly.

When Stefan and Diana first visited the house’s site in early 2016, it was overgrown. “You had to imagine the potential of it,” says Stefan. Having had faith in the process, the couple now has a home that works exactly as intended. “The house is really great in the di erent seasons. It feels closed and intimate in winter and open and transparent in summer. We love all the spaces.” View Stefan’s architecture work at powerhouse-company.com. To see more projects by Holly and Hedda of Avenue Design Studio, visit avenuelifestyle.com.