Dune House – the very name evokes reveries of dune-speckled landscapes with a lone habitat to take in the surreal views. Well, the above pictured architectural specimen (situated in one of the northern Dutch islands) from Marc Koehler Architects does allude to this enchanting scope with a symbolic as well as visual angle. In essence, the house’s shape is inspired by dunes, while the views it offers also hark back to the characteristics of a dune. The latter aspect according to the designers, is derived from a ‘sequence of view points on the dune landscape’ – with close-up scenes of the immediate surrounding and the expansive panorama of the horizon sea.

But beyond the factors of symbolism and scenic views, the Dune House is an apt example of low impact architecture that utilizes ecofriendly building materials. In that regard, the habitat has a special timber structure with cross-laminated bearing, a wooden roofing system (mimicking a gabled silhouette) and the ‘piece de resistance’ of a central heating system based on bio-fuels. This carbon dioxide reducing ambit is further complemented by the vernacular style of the building that emulates the regional designs of both pitched and turtle roof types.

As for the dune-inspired layout of the habitat, the Dune House has split-level floors that are connected to each other via a spiral route. To that end, this middle spiraling ‘core’ morphs into variant usable spaces in different levels – like a fireplace, a central bookcase and a storage space. This fascinating vertical route also supports spatial hierarchy with living and dining areas on the upper levels and the privacy-oriented bedrooms in the lower-most floor. And finally, the landscape-habitat association is bolstered by what the architects tout as unique connections of each individual floor with the secluded environment.

Source / Images Credit: Marc Koehler Architects