As BaksvanWengerden Architecten of Amsterdam intended, their V House “appears humble and distinct at the same time.” The firm has achieved that balance in the single-family home’s exterior. The V-shaped house located in Alkmaar, the Netherlands is completely adorned in anthracite ceramic tiles that are measured and attractive.
Completed in 2012, V House fits nicely into BaksvanWengerden Architecten’s oeuvre, their buildings and interior design live and die on their combinations of subtle and bold geometry. The architecture firm also favors simple but noticeable tiling to bring pattern to their otherwise minimal exteriors. Some of their projects are almost awkward on first glance, but they compel you to keep looking and you soon discover that they are sophisticated and assured. Seen in profile from the street, the silhouette of V House is that of a child’s drawing of a house sitting atop a wider rectangle. However, the left side of the lower rectangle is “missing” to form a portico. A large window on the ground floor that echos the dimensions of the top floor “house” sits to the right of center. It is a deceptively balanced and compelling design.
The V House conforms to the local municipal development specifications, which prescribed clear regulations on heights, roof shape (angled roofs seem to be the standard) and coloring, but is clearly unique among its neighbors. It stands out but isn’t so flashy that it would compromise the homeowners privacy. The orientation of the two floors takes privacy into consideration as well. The ground floor has a north-south orientation, while the upper level has an east-west orientation.
Above image: V House, a private residence by BaksvanWengerden Architecten in Alkmaar, The Netherlands, was completed in 2012. Courtesy of the architects. Photograph by Yvonne Brandwijk.
V House, a private residence by BaksvanWengerden Architecten in Alkmaar, The Netherlands, was completed in 2012. All images courtesy of the architects. Photography by Yvonne Brandwijk.
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Flashy and boastful are the most repellent attributes of anything to the Dutch .
This design is fantastic and though it stands out with its excellence, it also fits the cultural ethos which in my humble opinion is refreshing!