Studio AAAN has developed a sustainable house near Rotterdam. The “Terphouse” is located in the middle of an open polder landscape with dykes and small islands. It is situated on a small hill and is even prepared for extreme climatic conditions.
The Terphouse in Rotterdam. Photo: Sebastian van Damme
The Terphouse Rotterdam by architecture studio AAAN shows how buildings can be prepared for climate change even in a flat, flood-prone landscape. As a massive volume, the sustainable house is located on an artificial hill in the landscape. It is dug into the elevation and has a characteristic canopy and protruding terraces below ground level. The living spaces are on the first level and the bedrooms and ancillary rooms are underground. The surrounding soil softens the climate in the basement.
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
Photo: Sebastian van Damme
In the middle of the polder landscape. Photo: Sebastian van Damme
A folded roof
The Terphouse offers a wonderful view of the open landscape with its dykes from the living rooms on the upper floor. The cantilevered terraces provide ample daylight and an intimate atmosphere. The patio on the top level structures the sequence of rooms and provides visual connections between the rooms. The house is characterized by a distinctive wooden beam construction that runs continuously from the inside to the outside.
The linear, low wooden roof was decisive for the overall impression of the design. Its structure continues from the inside to the outside and forms a canopy on the south façade. This blurs the boundary between the living room, the veranda, the outdoor spaces and the courtyard, and the landscape seems to flow into the house. From the outside, the structure appears almost “folded”, creating a connection with the garden. Overall, according to the architects, the Terphouse should be perceived as a “modest solid in the landscape”.
Cut made by AAAN.
First floor plan - made by AAAN.
Basement floor plan - made by AAAN.
Site plan of AAAN
Connections to the outside world
The Terphouse is quiet and idyllic. It stands as a robust structure in the middle of the landscape. It is designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and the effects of climate change. The sustainable architectural result combines contemporary design and environmental friendliness on a man-made hill surrounded by low greenery and flowers. Nature and the built environment come together in this suburb of Rotterdam. This can also be seen in the Terphouse, which is dug into the hill on the island.
The surroundings have strongly influenced the overall design. But at the same time, the architects have also ensured that the house looks suitably modern. With its low, clear volume of brick walls, large glass surfaces and the striking, flat wooden roof, it has a character of its own. A series of inner and outer courtyards run through the complex, providing open spaces and connections to the outside.
Modern architecture with classic elements
A private client commissioned the Terphouse from the AAAN architecture studio in Rotterdam. The studio of Hilbrand Wanders, Luuk Stoltenborg and Rik de Ruiter is characterized by its focus on structure, simplicity, materials and details. In this way, it creates modern architecture that can be read in a classical way. AAAN works on various scales in the fields of architecture, urban planning and design.