Solar-powered luxury villa is an energy-neutral gem set in a Dutch dune landscape

Luxury goes hand-in-hand with sustainability at Villa V, a green-roofed dwelling that offers all the comforts of home with a minimal environmental footprint.

Designed by Dutch studio Paul de Ruiter Architects, the single-family house overlooks gorgeous dune views in Park Brederode, a protected landscape in Bloemendaal, the Netherlands. The villa is designed to adapt perfectly to its location and uses a combination of green features to achieve energy-neutral status.

Rising above the ground like a dune, the 489-square-meter Villa V is a top-heavy structure with the smaller ground floor built partially into the slope. Full-height glazing and French oak sliding elements covers the north and south facades and opens up to views of the undulating dune landscape, as well as natural light and ventilation. Daylight is brought deep into the house through a large centrally placed skylight. In contrast to the fully glazed facades, the east and west facades are mostly closed and clad in preserved Waxedwood.

Energy efficiency was at the heart of the Villa V design. The compact structure is wrapped in excellent insulation that’s bolstered by a moss sedum green roof. In addition to rooftop solar panels, the building includes geothermal energy storage and a heat pump. The light-filled interior design, led by i29, blurs the lines between the indoors and outdoors. Only natural materials were used in the building, from the first floor’s facade finishing made of Waxedwood sustainable timber to the large amounts of veneered plywood that clad the furnishings. The entrance and garage were constructed from salvaged wood from an old ship.