A trio of homes combines timber construction, flowering roofs and shared woodland to create a small residential ensemble shaped by its relationship with nature.
Buro Loof has designed a trio of timber-clad homes at the edge of a woodland on the Hembrug site in Zaandam, the Netherlands. Defined by black-stained timber façades and distinctive sloping green roofs, De Zoom forms a compact residential ensemble within a landscape of mature trees and industrial heritage.
The design takes cues from the character of the Hembrugterrein. Instead of copying its industrial architecture, the homes offer a contemporary interpretation of it. Their recognisable silhouettes, pitched roofs and dark timber façades give them a bold yet natural presence among the trees.
Large glazed openings bring daylight into the interiors and frame views of the surrounding greenery. On the ground floor, the kitchen, dining area and living room form a sequence of connected spaces extending through the depth of each house. Views in both directions maintain a connection with the landscape throughout the interior.
Timber shutters introduce an adjustable layer between the rooms and their surroundings. Open, they expose the glazing and extend views towards the garden; closed, they create a more sheltered interior. Their changing positions animate the façades, allowing the building’s appearance to register the daily routines of its occupants.
Each house has a private garden adjoining approximately 2,070 square metres of shared woodland. This arrangement establishes a sequence from domestic interior to private outdoor space and collective landscape. The woodland extends the residents’ immediate surroundings beyond their individual plots, offering a shared setting shaped by seasonal change.
Herbs and flowering plants extend the surrounding greenery across the sloping roofs. A fully timber-framed structure and all-electric systems support the project’s approach to energy-efficient housing.
De Zoom explores the relationship between a compact residential footprint and a generous landscape. Through its repeated roof forms, timber surfaces and adjustable openings, the ensemble gives each home an individual identity within a coherent whole, rooted in the wooded setting of Hembrug.
De Zoom
Category
Residential
Location
Zaandam
500m²
Size
2027
Year
2015 Shortlist Gulden Feniks
Recognitions
Team
Partners
