A recyclable home is a livable artwork hidden in trees

Speehuis House has a focus on healthy elements, for both the residents and the environment. Located in the Netherlands, the project was designed by Spee Architecten with a mission to create minimal site impact to the surrounding trees and wetlands and empower the structure to be dismantled and recycled if desired at a later date. 

The home was oriented to blend into the surrounding landscape. Material selection, such as the façade and sloping roof finished with untreated “high density” bamboo-composite slats also complement the marriage between home and nature due to natural caramelizing of the product. Large, strategically-placed windows offer copious natural light to the inner spaces and views to the outdoors. Moreover, it’s a workspace and a home that is made from bio-based and circular materials for minimal waste and optimal reuse. 

Related: Beautiful Oaxacan villa is built from reused materials

The architecture provides a spacious, airy feel that flows from one space to another with minimalist design. Passive elements provide natural shading and ventilation with verandas and awnings made from sustainable materials. 

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Additionally, the shell of the house was prefabricated in less than a week, and the unique manufacturing techniques of the exterior mean the home can be recycled.

The majority of the home’s shell is made from cross-laminated timber (CLT), again, connecting the indoor and outdoor spaces while acting as a carbon sink. The preference for green design meant avoiding concrete, which is heavier and emits carbon. Wood for the home was sourced from responsibly managed forests and was chosen to create a natural and healthy indoor environment.

“150 m3 of spruce wood has been used in the Speehuis, which means that 93,388 kg of CO2 is stored within the building,” the team explained. “That is the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of 103 households a year or the emissions of 784,773 kilometers of exhaust gases from a middle-class car. European forests store this amount of CO2 in six seconds. By using a 9 m3 bamboo composite as a façade material, an additional 15,736 kg of CO2 is stored. In addition to energy-efficient construction, storing CO2 in buildings is the solution to the climate problem.”

+ Spee Architects

Images via Ossip van Duivenbode