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ZARA: Roos Aldershoff Fotografie

Building houses and helping retailers TEXT: BAS VAN DUREN  |  PHOTOS: ARCHITECTUUR STUDIO WEZENBERG

Having a new house, office or commercial space designed can be a challenge depending on local building regulations. Architectuur Studio Wezenberg (named after owner Guido Wezenberg) is familiar with all the ins and outs of regulations and is a sought-after bureau that not only designs unique, modern houses, but serves as an advisor for international retailers who seek to expand in the Netherlands.

little over an hour away from Amsterdam. Wezenberg: “Both are two-storey houses with a concrete and glass ground floor, while the upper level is built with a darker shade of brick. It’s a design based on use of air and space with as few doors as possible and glass, moveable frames to divide the rooms. The upper floor is bedroom space, with brick walls providing necessary privacy.”

Whether designing modern houses, consulting retailers, or explaining how to make a building sustainable; Guido Wezenberg of Architectuur Studio Wezenberg is an expert. One of his most recent endeavours is rather eye-catching: a set of modern houses in the Dutch town of Twello, a

Wezenberg continues: “I love to play with contrasts. Not just with colours, but also with the use of materials, making it possible for me to play with the different volumes a house can provide. It’s a style most reminiscent of Bauhaus in the 1920s. Architects such as Le Corbusier and Ludwig

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Tailored houses

Mies van der Rohe are unique, and to build in the vein of what they did is to design for people that want something special while still being able to design a house tailored to every demand and need. For example, the houses in Twello are built on a stretchedout lot, requiring us to have the garden and house interacting with each other.”

Zero-energy buildings When it comes to building houses today, zero-energy buildings are important. Wezenberg: “It’s a factor I work with and there are many ways to accomplish such buildings. Though many think the solution is to buy some expensive installations, it doesn’t have to be like that. Depending on the complexity of a design and the location and orientation of the building a lot