The sensational Rieteiland House was designed by studio Hans van Heeswijk Architects on a plot of land that is part of a newly established island at IJburg on the outskirts of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The clients asked for a house that is completely orientated with panoramic views to the park and the landscape. The boxlike street facade is completely cladded with perforated horizontal aluminum panels, of which some can open automatically to make way for the windows behind them. The facade on the waterside is completely made out of glass sheets and sliding doors.

The 2,900 square foot house is an elongated rectangular block of three floors and a basement. Inside, the space literally opens up. Most of the floors have a double height and are open. In this way the house can be seen as a sort of spatial grandstand. By this on every level a panoramic view is created towards the west, the water and the park. Every night from the house magnificent sunsets can be watched. This creates a special holiday like atmosphere.

In the core of the house, a three floors tall service block/tower contains toilets on each floor, storage spaces, installation shafts and a dumbwaiter. Apart from the house also some of the furniture was designed especially for this project. Special attention has been given to sustainability and saving energy. A cold and heat pump, thermal energy storage and solar collectors are used for this purpose.

Visit the website of studio Hans van Heeswijk Architects here.

Photos: Imre Csany/Csany Studio