Designed by Ooze, the Rotterdam Villa II started out as being a simple residence that needed some sprucing up in the kitchen. Contacted by the inhabitants for the kitchen project, Ooze ended up transforming the house into an unusually attractive architectural game of playing with design lines. The old structure was dressed in a new “skin”, made from prefabricated wooden triangles that varied in size and thickness, creating different elements that shaped the resulting architecture. By using solid wood prefabricated panels to shape the roof, walls and floor, the architects created a lightweight structure. The designers explain the significance of the project: “Inside, the building manifests itself through a formal language based on prefabricated, solid wood triangles that have a direct reference to the old roof. Folds and facets were generated by an intuitive rationalism following what was permitted and what would benefit the space inside. This skin becomes the structure which sits like a hat on top of the existing one and works as a load carrier to bring down the additional weight burden of the new floors and roofs. The house is a precedent in establishing a new culture of dealing with an existing structure.“
Subscribe to our newsletter
We'll also share exclusive content, special deals on our favorite home products, and much more.