Dams protect the Dutch countryside from floods; on top of one of them in Green Heart, in the 1950s a small Dike House was built which later fell into disrepair and was sold. The new owners wish to renovate it through this project that cracks open the volume, opening up the view.
Mirck Architecture designing the new Dike House uses the splendid available views, natural light, and wood. Mirck proposes to open the living space to the north, breaking the volume of the house from the side opposite the dike, facing the polder landscape. The outer corner of the new fissure is completely glazed and brings a lot of natural light into the large open space, creating the sensation of being part of the landscape.
At the corner dematerialized by the house renovation intervention, at the level of the polder, the part of the land drained thanks to the dam, is the entrance of the Dike House. Here, wooden stairs lead to the large living space at the level of the dam. The stairs continue to an intermediate space with a poetic view and finally lead to the attic where the main bedroom is located.
A straw roof covers the building at different levels creating a traditional and dynamic effect with various openings. The wooden facade reflects the different internal spaces, alternating between horizontal and vertical board parts. The house is built with larch beams and CLT structural panels (Cross-laminated timber); the roof, walls, and floors are made of CLT.
The large opening to the north has introduced some stability challenges that have been resolved by introducing a steel element, the "crack beam": a frame characterized in blue that optimally connects the wooden structure and emphasizes the architectural concept of the crack.
