large sliding door merges exterior & interior of 'south house' in the netherlands

dutch architecture studio woonpioniers has realized ‘south house’; an environmentally-friendly residence situated in almere, the netherlands. the triangularly shaped dwelling has been designed to consider current environmental issues, like global warming, along with the seasonal changes and the daily routine of the inhabitants. as a result, the architects have combined an integrated energy plan with minimalist living space that brings the outdoors in. 

a huge sliding door enables ‘a life outdoors’ – the garden and the house will gradually become one
photos by henny van belkom

instead of adding sustainability halfway in the middle of the design process (through choice of materials or installations), woonpioniers has focused on incorporating basic, energetic principles right from the start. in this way, the heating, cooling, and energy demand of the house have mostly been answered in a passive manner. the triangular shape and positioning of the house, combined with a spectacular veranda, provide shade in the summer, while capturing plenty of solar heat in the winter. and in the morning and evening, sunlight softly lights up the ceiling through the windows in the side walls.

the triangular shape, the positioning, and the spectacular veranda provide shade in the summer but capture plenty of solar heat in the winter

the floor functions as a heat battery, by absorbing heat which is released when the temperature is lower. the roughly finished cement floor feels comfortable all year round, especially under bare feet. the roof is fully equipped with triple solar panels, with the front ones consisting of photovoltaic cells and the back of a thermal exchanger connected to a heat pump. with this system, electricity and hot (tap) water are generated simultaneously. all installations are integrated into the design and are not visible or audible.

the roughly finished cement floor feels comfortable all year round, especially under bare feet

the upper level is used as a music and guest room and is accessible via a so-called ‘lazy staircase’. woonpioniers and daniel venneman opted for the use of bio-based, ‘regrowable’ materials, while the interior has been partially finished with materials from the clients’ old house. with the landscape, climate and lifestyle naturally playing a prominent role in the project, the ‘south house’ combines low and high tech solutions to offer a bold and modern look at ‘energy architecture’. 

the ‘south house’ is designed to accommodate a life in balance

the space on the first floor is used as a music and guest room and is accessible via a ‘lazy staircase’

all main rooms are located on the ground floor, in close contact with the earth – even from the shower, one keeps in contact with the garden

the clients have partially finished the interior themselves, with materials from their old house

in the morning and evening, sunlight lights up the ceiling through the windows of the side walls

the triangularly shaped dwelling employs a number of environmentally friendly systems to ensure sufficient energy

project info:

name: south house
architects: woonpioniers
lead architect: daniel venneman
location: almere, the netherlands

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom