Architecture Wednesday: Floating Villa

We know people who have lake houses and love to talk about “living on the water.” That ain’t it; this is living on the water.

This energy neutral Northern Holland houseboat—it produces more energy than it consumes—offers s panoramic views across the Spaarne river and the nearby meadows. The design—a zinc façade alternated with aluminum, glass, steel and wood—completes the wish list of the clients who wanted a completely off-the-grid, and off the land, home.

The Floating Villa collects solar energy using PV-panels on the roof, combined with a heat pump in the concrete hull that collects energy from the difference in water/indoor temperature: to provide  an endless natural stream of energy.

Furthermore, the aim was to establish different relationships with living near the water; you have your own private meadow garden to one side, complete water views on the other.

And with a second floor below the main one, you’re not really on the water, but in it as well.

Click to emBIGGERate ...

ArchDaily

Architecture Wednesday: Schoolhouse to Private House In Less Than 100 Years

This building, in Leiden, The Netherlands, was built in 1925, and used to be a nursey until it was abandoned.

But some smart, recycling soul found it and turned it into a stunning home, preserving many of the original details yet creating open spaces filled with natural light. High ceilings allow air to flow, as well as skylights to allow more natural light into the space.

In addition, rooftop solar panels, improved building insulation, and centrally controlled lighting, as well as climate, shading, and security systems have been added to the converted schoolhouse bringing it from the early 20th century into the 21st.

I just love when an old space is given new life, and a new use, rather than being torn down, and this is one of my favorites.

Click to emBIGGERate.

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Today In Stoopid: _____ Appointee Lies, Then Lies About Lying

Pete Hoekstra, _____’s newly appointed Ambassador to the Netherlands was confirmed less than two weeks ago and, well, it’s already not that good.

Hoekstra, a former House Intelligence Committee Chairman, was born in the Netherlands—and _____ scored points for that—but that doesn’t help what happens when Hoekstra opens his mouth and _____isms fall out.

In a video clip that's going viral on social media, a Dutch reporter in the US asks Hoekstra why he chose to spread the lie that there are so-called "no-go" zones in the Netherlands, and that cars and politicians are being set on fire there.

Ambassador Hoekstra denied ever saying such a thing and then plays his _____ card by calling the story "fake news":

"That is actually an incorrect statement. Yeah – we would call it fake news. I never said that – no, it's not what I said."

Except that then the reporter shows Hoekstra a video of him saying exactly that:

“The Islamic movement has now gotten to a point where they have put Europe into chaos. Chaos in the Netherlands, there are cars being burned, there are politicians that are being burned, and yes, there are no-go zones in the Netherlands.”

So, Hoekstra clearly said what he said, even though he called it a lie and “fake news” and so when the reporter brings that up again Hoekstra says:

"I didn't call that fake news, I didn't use the words today."

Seriously, he’s trying to lie, on camera, bout something he said just seconds ago, on camera. The reporter looks stunned and says, “No?” and Hoekstra responds.

"I don't think I did.”

And so, the reporter ends the interview with a laugh, but is it really funny? I mean, these _____sters think they can lie, even when the truth is on film in front of their faces, and then lie about the fact that they just lied.

Seriously.

NCRM

Architecture Wednesday: House of Rolf

The House of Rolf—and I love that name—is a transformation of a late 19th century coach house into a live-work space. Also of note is that all the materials used to carry out this transformation came from a demolished office building that was located next to the coach house. Hence, the House of Rolf is proof that waste can be turned into something beautiful.

The former coach house that makes up the shell of House of Rolf was originally built in 1895 in the back garden of a wealthy aristocrat’s home located on the stately Maliebaan in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

In 1955 a wooden outbuilding was constructed in between the main house and the coach house; that building was intended to be a temporary structure but it stood for 57 years. Then, in 2008, when the office buildings on the Maliebaan were being turned into private homes, this wooden one storey office building remained, abandoned and unused. In 2011 Rolf Bruggink acquired the building, the coach house and the surrounding terrain with the intention of demolishing the former building. It was that demolition process that triggered for Bruggink to use recovered materials to construct a new home within the shell of the coach house.

The coach house itself is a rectangular brick building; the roof is carried by five trusses that divide the space into six equal bays; the house is then further divided into three zones of two bays. Oy. Math.

The first zone is left completely empty so that the original coach house can be fully experienced. The middle zone contains a structure that stands completely free from the coach house shell so that you can easily look beyond it from the first zone. This second section contains the kitchen, bedroom, toilet, shower, bath and office. By positioning this sculptural structure in the middle of the house a front, middle and back division is created.

In the third zone, a second structure is located which together with the structure in the middle zone, form House of Rolf’s sculptural living space. This second structure differs from the first in that it is attached to the shell of the coach house. This back zone contains more intimate living spaces with a large panoramic window cut out of the back wall allowing light to flood into the space. This window is the only intervention made into the original building.

I love that the house is built within the original structure, and that the materials were recycled from demolished structure nearby.

But, what I love most of all is that Balcony Bathtub because, you just know I’d be bathing up there and splashing Carlos and the kids down on the first floor.

Just sayin’.

HomeDSGN

In The Netherlands Men Are Holding Hands In Solidarity For Gay Bashed Couple

The Netherlands has long been very progressive in regards to LGBT rights—it was the country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage back in 2001—but, sadly, that doesn’t mean it’s free from homophobia and Hate Crimes.

Recently, a married same-sex couple, Jasper Vernes-Sewratan and Ronnie Sewratan-Vernes, were attacked by a group of thugs while returning home from a night out. The attacker’s yelled homophobic slurs at the couple because the two men were holding hands, and then the thugs beat both men so badly that they were hospitalized.

Luckily, the thugs have been arrested but this isn’t about that, it’s about what happened in The Netherlands following the attack ... Politicians in the country are showing solidarity to Jasper Vernes-Sewratan and Ronnie Sewratan-Vernes by holding hands in public.

Lodewijk Asscher, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Labor Party posted this photo to Twitter:

And then, Alexander Pechtold, leader of the Democrats 66 party, joined in, posting a photo to Twitter in which he is holding hands with party member Wouter Koolmees, and captioned it: “Stop violence against gay people. #allemannenhandinhand”

And the movement traveled across the sea to New York, where the staff of the Dutch mission at the United Nations posted their support of the couple to social media:

Even police in The Netherlands got involved:

This is how change is made, when even those who are not personally affected by the violence take a stand against hate.

Plus, it’s kinda hot seeing all these Dutch men holding hands so, yeah, it’s a win-win.

Pink News UK

Architecture Wednesday: Villa New Water

I’m getting boomerang from this one … and in a good way.

From the very first moment of seeing the site for this home, architect Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio set out to design a villa that would allow for the optimal experience of its surroundings.

Yet, in order to maintain the rural character of the location, the design had to meet strict regulations limiting the volume allowed above the ground level. So, with the volume limited, Waterstudio decided to make a floor under ground level to provide more space within the limited dimensions of the building.

The main floor is seen as a white frame outlining large spans of glass, making the home seem almost see-through, with the white frame curling along the facade to close off both ends of the house; the concept of transparency was maintained inside the home by creating an open layout where almost no doors are used.

It’s all open and sheer and transparent, with touches of wood that add subtlety and warmth to the house.

But it still looks like a boomerang.

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