Buitenverblijf Nest, located at the Hoge Veluwe National Park in the Netherlands, is a unique holiday home nestled within the natural surroundings of Buitenplaats Koningsweg. Situated on a former barracks site, this artistic incubator hosts numerous artists and creative entrepreneurs.
Project Name: Buitenverblijf Nest
Studio Name: i29
Client: Noud Paes, Jeroen Dellensen, Jaspar Jansen, Chris Collaris, Christian Hagoort
Copyright photo’s: Jeroen Musch
As part of a special project by the municipality of Arnhem, 11 follies, or non-conventional structures with artistic or playful purposes, have been developed as holiday stays in the woods, with a central theme of ‘camouflage’ reflecting the site’s history.
Nest, one of these follies, is a spectacular holiday home designed in the image of an archetypal birdhouse. The project aims to harmonize with nature, ensuring minimal impact on human, animal, and environmental health. Nest achieves sustainability through all-electric installations and a highly insulated building envelope, complemented by energy provided by solar panels on the roof.
Perched on slender black legs, Nest offers a comfortable and private retreat among the treetops, providing a unique connection to nature. The design features a composition of three layers that progressively stagger outwards, creating additional space for nesting boxes in the facades, providing shelter for birds, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and bats. The raised floor with a black steel frame and plinth beams also offers additional nesting opportunities.
The interior of Nest is ingeniously designed, with the kitchen and living room situated on the first level, almost 8 meters above the ground. The terrace adjacent to this level offers panoramic views of the surroundings, receiving both morning and evening sun. The space-efficient design incorporates clever storage solutions, such as combining part of the storage room with a stairs cupboard leading to the mezzanine floor housing the bathroom. The hood features a spacious bedroom area with a large 4-person bed. Despite the minimized interior space, long sight lines and a clever layout enhance the overall sense of space. Large round windows and wall-to-wall sliding doors from the living room provide breathtaking views of the natural surroundings, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the beauty of the landscape.
