Villa Trompenberg
Imagine current architectural trends tell you that to be sustainable you have to blend in with nature. However, you want to make a statement to the contrary, to build an act of defiance with the intention of standing out in nature. Why not combine these two goals in one spacious project? Architect Maarten Engel has achieved just that in Hilversum, The Netherlands, thanks to SlimLine 38 windows and doors by Reynaers Aluminium.
Architect Maarten Engel of Engel Architecten.
In the forests of ‘t Gooi nature reserve, Villa Trompenberg reveals itself as a contrast to its surroundings. Nature's organic forms are interrupted by two rectangular volumes placed at right angles to each other. Rank and reddish-brown brick contrasts sharply with the surrounding vegetation. That is, looking from the outside in.
However, looking out from the inside, you feel part of nature. “I am constantly seeking ways to apply refinement. For instance, lines of vision are particularly important. Glass panes at every corner create long, diagonal sightlines across the plot. This gives you a much more spacious feeling and the garden actually becomes part of the house”, architect Maarten Engel explains.
An interplay of aluminium shadows
Elegance, heights and light. All aspects involved in superior design are critically scrutinised by Engel and his colleagues. In consultation with façade builder Boertjes Aluminium en Kunststof, the architect opted for Reynaers Aluminium SlimLine 38 windows and doors. This profile protrudes slightly, creating a shadow line. The window frames also had to be reinforced on the outside, to create a slender image. The perfect merger of aesthetics and functionality.
Making a design look simple is precisely one of the biggest challenges.
A wink and a nod to the past
The 40-by-40-metre plot previously housed a 1960s residence. Engel's design clearly draws inspiration from Willem Dudok, a prolific Hilversum architect who designed 75 buildings in the area. Engel sought to incorporate this historical element into his work. “I specifically chose the ‘Hilversum format’ – an elongated red-brown brick that spans the entire façade and emphasises the building’s width”, he says about this. His approach not only highlights the wall near the library and the fireplaces inside but also incorporates Dudok’s characteristic interlocking volumes. The varying heights of the villa’s two volumes create a staggered façade, adding dynamism to the design.
All together, for better
Special acknowledgment must be given to Engel’s fellow architect, Desley Hakkert, who played a key role in the technical elaboration and guidance throughout the project's realisation. Additionally, the project benefited immensely from the expertise of the clients, who are both civil engineers and were able to see the logistics and design aspects as straightforward choices.
“A harmonious relationship with my clients is crucial; without that synergy, achieving a successful design would not be possible”, Maarten Engel concludes.
Glass panes at every corner create long diagonal sightlines across the plot. This results in a much more spacious feeling.
Used systems
Involved stakeholders
Fabricator
- Boertjes Aluminium en Kunststof B.V.
