A gabled roof home in Werkhoven, a Dutch village in the province of Utrecht, takes the form of a modern barn with a twist—split down the middle from the peak, half of the exterior is floor-to-ceiling glass to take advantage of the views.

Ruud Visser and Fumi Hoshino of RVArchitecture were introduced to the clients via an architectural website during the global financial crisis. It was a time when many were focused on keeping prices low and not necessarily on innovative design. “We were lucky with these clients,” says Visser. “They gave us time to make a good design and thought along with us.”

Which isn’t to say Visser and Hoshino didn’t take the clients’ budget into account. For example, when the original plan for a slate roof proved too expensive, the team pivoted to sleek, concrete tiles.

“We managed to convert spending cuts into unexpected design opportunities,” says Visser.

Visser and Hoshino dedicated the front of the house to private areas like bedrooms and bathrooms. The dining room and living room are set in the glass-enclosed back. A curved wall leading in from the garden contains the service areas of the home: kitchen cabinets, laundry, a coat closet, and storage.

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To keep sight lines as unobstructed as possible, the architects relied on cleverly situated support columns as well as an open staircase.

The team faced an additional challenge in designing the home. While other plots of land in the area were rectangular, their client’s was triangular. Visser and Hoshino positioned the home to create a smaller, yet sunny, front yard and larger, shaded backyard.

“The transition from inside to outside and vice versa is always important in our designs. After about 10 years, the house will be completely overgrown, and you will be sitting in the middle of the garden,” says Visser.

Related Reading: A Barn-Inspired, Modern Retreat Is Knitted Into Napa Valley

Project Credits:

Architects: RVArchitecture / @RuudVisser_

Builder: Het Woud Aannemingsbedrijf Opheusden

Structural Engineer: Ingenieursbureau De Linge

Photography: René de Wit

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