Tomas Beranek and Arthur Nuss of Global Architects collaborated with client and builder Bram van de Wal to design and complete a barn-inspired modern home in The Netherlands.
The barn house has a natural look and the modern simplicity of timber frame construction. The exterior facade is made of Accoya, a sustainable modified fast-growing wood from production forests, with sliding glass doors that connect to the patio.
The barn house also is equipped with three skylights and 22 solar panels, which ensure an energy-neutral home, with underfloor heating on the ground floor and a heat pump.
The living room and the kitchen share the same area of the home, both of which have wide window sills, which can also be used as a seat in a playful way as sunken frames as the outside become the inside.
Sitting at the nearby six-person sitting-dining table that Bram made himself, he says: “This is exactly what we wanted. A spacious space where we can socialize with the whole family, but keep in touch with the children when they play on the floor.”
Plywood has been used as a design element that continues from the wall to the ceiling, and onto the first floor, creating a connection is created between the spaces.
The stairs to the first floor are the same light-coloured wood as the plywood, creating a cohesive interior.
The open wooden staircase is supported by a steel rail, which also serves as a handrail, but can easily be converted into a bookcase due to its box shape.
The playroom, with its sloped ceiling, has a plywood wall adorned with rock climbing supports, while a colorful rug covers the floor. The white doors in the plywood wall lead to bedrooms and a bathroom.
Here’s a look at the architectural drawings for the home.