House Te Wiel

The former Huis te Wiel estate is located in the outer dyke area of the Rhine in the Betuwe and is surrounded by a moat. The existing farm – a national monument – is respected as the most important building. The hierarchy is reinforced by constructing the new buildings as derivatives of the farm; its slanted roof and the different directions of the ridges of the front of the house and of the attached barn are copied in the design of the new buildings.

The design reflects the different layers of the estate’s rich history. The materialization of the modest new buildings makes reference to the agricultural past and is inspired by the characteristic agricultural complexes in the Betuwe. The central courtyard and the composition of the ensemble of buildings refer to the past of the estate Huis te Wiel. With the addition of the two new homes and the barn, Huist te Wiel is being revitalized and turned into a contemporary estate.

The master plan for Huis te Wiel consists of a clear and uncomplicated architectural design for the building volumes, with constructions made out of a repetition of steel trusses that carry a zinc roof. The black finished wooden facades refer to the characteristic barns from the Betuwe area. Unity and coherence between the buildings is enhanced by the addition of structuring elements – decking and elevations – that mark the transition between collective and private and combine the different houses into a whole. The layout of the courtyard contains various elements, such as a hedge, formal sections with plants, which also refer to the history of this location.