![Where openness and privacy blend seamlessly](https://josephbricks.com/thumbnail/blog-header/12543/.jpg)
Where openness and privacy blend seamlessly
Frank, an experienced project manager and civil engineer, has dedicated his life to designing and building structures. However, building his own villa was not just another project, but a dream come true. The villa was designed by Frank. He transformed his dream into reality in just seven months, building the villa himself in the evenings, on days off and at weekends when he was free.
Frank and his family's villa is located in a serene setting, where nature is part of everyday life. Behind the house, a meandering path leads you to a forest, where you can walk and admire the wonders of nature, such as a breeding kingfisher. Nearby, cows and deer graze and a pool that is home to toads enriches biodiversity.
Architecture in harmony with nature
The villa's design achieves a balance between privacy and a connection with nature. The striking steel-frame construction departs from conventional building methods and creates a sense of security with a closed exterior, while the interior is open and welcoming. Located on the edge of the Natura 2000 site, the large windows in several parts of the house offer stunning views of the surroundings.
Incorporating the open space in the design was a challenge, but the result is an east-facing space that bathes in the morning light. The rising sun streams through the glass, warming the room naturally and creating an inviting atmosphere.
The villa reflects Frank's commitment to sustainability. The house is equipped with 35 solar panels, an air source heat pump and active cooling. The upfall shower, which regenerates water for the shower in a closed system, is an innovative addition resulting in significant savings on water and energy consumption.
A rear façade with a view
The south-facing rear of the villa offers beautiful views of the forest, with an impressive glass top-to-bottom façade fitted with heat-reflective glass. This design provides privacy and enables the family to enjoy the view undisturbed.
The strategically elevated garden, with a simple hedge, offers optimal privacy, allowing the family to admire the natural beauty. Unlike traditional houses, where visitors often walk down a driveway between cars, Frank took a different approach. Footpaths surround the house and visitors are led to the front door via a central path through the garden.
Aesthetically pleasing, but cost-efficient too
The choice of this design proves how well-thought-out decisions can make all the difference. Thus, the choice was made to extend the roof tiles to the façade. This is not only aesthetically pleasing, but cost-effective too. The resulting savings were invested in other elements, such as good-quality facing bricks. The end result is a harmonious combination of materials and styles, with a high-quality finish.
Frank's collaboration with Theo Wolfs and Joseph Bricks
Frank: “We were looking for a unique brick that would give our villa a distinctive identity. Our search led us to Theo Wolfs Bouwsteen Stassen in Beegden, who recommended we check out the Joseph Bricks collection. They had developed a series of new bricks, unique due to the smoking process. The Bentlee appealed to us right away; it’s a white brick with various shades obtained as a result of this particular process - a truly bespoke product. The flexibility in ordering the required quantity of pallets was an important aspect for us.”
“When applying the brick, we opted for a staggered pattern, matching their longer and thinner shape. We combined this with recessed pointing, which gives you a clean, jointless pointed finish. The recessed joints are raked out using a wheeled jointer, a technique that requires a certain skill by the mason. All this helps do justice to the unique facing brick, and enhances the aesthetic value of our villa.”