Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Modern Garden Design Plan Drawing - Nature

Anticipating the landscape  .  Schoorl  .  The Netherlands


 



This unique garden embraces a fascinating home in the poetic landscape of Schoorl. The house is designed by the famous Dutch architect Paul de Ruiter.' The plot is located in the bocage landscape behind the broad dune in Schoorl. 5km further on, you can't see the sea, but you feel the suggestion of the endless horizon that lies behind the high dune edge.



With the help of Studio BLAD  www.studio-blad.com

Winner of the LILA awards 2020  |  Ex Aequo Winner in Gardens category

Landezine-award.com


Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Nature Inclusive Garden Design - Europe

Green constructor:

Kroeze landscapers Beesd

 

Architect building:

Paul de Ruiter Architects


Pictures

Andrew van Egmond


Concrete slabs and walls

Dumoont Beton



Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Nature Inclusive Garden Design - Schoorl
Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Nature Inclusive Garden Design - Schoorl
Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Nature Inclusive Garden Design - Europe
Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Nature Inclusive Garden Design - Schoorl

The composition of the long, clean lines and large gestures contrasts with the lush nature.  Floating boardwalks are positioned freely, green flows everywhere, and lines cut through the cushions of grass and the play of trunks. Nevertheless, the composition of the garden does not distract from the strength of the house's architecture, allowing the home to stand on its own in the landscape.

 

The materials used in this design are firm but refined. The concrete gestures with subtle finishing can age beautifully. The wooden boardwalk will age naturally into the Alder forest. The sharp steel lines define the height differences in the garden and enhance the contrast between nature and architecture. They are black coated, the same colour as the steel in the house. In this way, the garden subtly responds to the house.

 

As mentioned, the whole house is lifted above the landscape and lies on a mound. The house is almost separate from its environment. This suggestion of detachment has been strengthened by putting the whole house in a field of grasses. The monolith of black steel, black-stained wood and large mirrored windows that catch the sky lies in a soft cushion of ornamental grass that constantly changes colour, texture and volume throughout the seasons and captures the weather.

Filtered light in the evening, dew in the early morning, wind on a turbulent day and frost in the winter are captured in the field of grasses and create a poetic feeling of one's place in the landscape.

This unique garden embraces a fascinating home in the poetic landscape of Schoorl. 

Linking it with the landscape is an essential aspect of this work.

The plot is located in the bocage landscape behind the broad dune in Schoorl. 5km further on, you can see the sea, but you feel the suggestion of the endless horizon that lies behind the high dune edge. The place is almost non-Dutch. The height of the dune gives the experience of a hillside. In the evening, the sun's light projects on the high dune over the dark forest facade, giving a magical experience as it illuminates every open landscape space.

 

This unique building sits on a mound; from the kitchen and living room, you are elevated above this landscape. From the house, long lines and scenes in the garden, along with the effect of light and dark, steer one's orientation to the surrounding landscape.

Looking from the living room, the garden does not stop at the boundary but continues into the pasture. The only separation is a narrow ditch with Alders here and there.

The characteristic Alder forest continues into the neighbouring lot without any fencing present.

 

What makes this garden even more remarkable is that it lies on a subtle landscape transitioning from the higher sandy soils to the lower peat meadows, which are part of the hinterland. On the garden's lower wetter part, you find the Alder forest with its characteristic play of tall, slim trunks. This story of the landscape transition is now more visible and experienced more strongly through the design. A prominent diagonal line emphasizes the forest's edge and further directs your orientation toward the surrounding landscape. This diagonal line in the design makes the garden look even more significant than it already is. A tight, long steel line marks the height difference and the transition from the lawn meadow to the forest part. The long wall consists of solid concrete blocks, which seem to float subtly above the forest floor. The refinement of this strong and powerful gesture is crucial. In this case, the refinement lies in letting the total object float and in the characteristic sandblasted graph designed by Studio BLAD. This drawing suggests movement and refers to the movement of sand bodies in the dunes close to the sea. The same graphic can also be found on the wall along the driveway.

 


Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Nature Inclusive Garden Design - Europe
framing the landscape Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture
Achitecture by Paul de Ruiter | Chris Collaris  |  Garden design and Photo by Andrew van Egmond
Copyright©Andrew van Egmond Framing the views on the landscape

Framing the landscape.

Copyright©Andrew van Egmond Framing the views on the landscape

Green mass and open space steer the perception and orientation toward the surrounding landscape.

Andrew van Egmond - Surprising composition of long lines and objects defining the garden design.

Surprising composition of long lines and objects defining the garden design.

Garden at the edge of dunes and polders

Garden at the edge of dunes and polders

Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Nature Inclusive Garden Design - Europe
Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Nature Inclusive Garden Design - Europe
framing the landscape Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture
Floating surfaces in contrast with field of grasses
Copyright©Andrew van Egmond - Contemporary Landscape Architecture - Nature Inclusive Garden Design - Europe

Sandblasted grafics in concreet wall by Studio BLAD.

Sandblasted grafics in concreet wall by Studio BLAD + Andrew van Egmond
Sandblasted grafics in concreet wall by Studio BLAD + Andrew van Egmond
Andrew van Egmond and Kroeze | work in progress
Andrew van Egmond and Kroeze | work in progress