Slatted Barn-Like Buildings

Many designers struggle with what build in rural settings, but the Proyecto Roble demonstrates extraordinary intuition on the part of the Équipe architecture firm of Amsterdam. This edifice is home to the headquarters of Van Helvoirt Groenprojecten and combines the skeleton of an original structure with a facade that really speaks to its countryside site.

The creative team gave the field-nestled office expansive floor-to-ceiling windows around its perimeter, allowing ample sunlight to flood into the space. A clever solution as put forth to minimize glare, however, comprising the installation of vertical timber louvers that act as brise-soleils. Fixed to the frame in a tight and repetitive arrangement, these slats seem to form a translucent skin from a distance. Painted in red, the Proyecto Roble pops with an earthy vibrance that celebrates its asymmetrical pitched shape and eco construction.