a follie for the estate koningsweg
the Birdwatcher
'At Airfield Fliegerhorst Deelen on Koningsweg everything was about camouflage. From the air, the bunkers, hangars and accommodation of the German officers looked most like farms. That way, the occupying forces prevented them from being bombed by the Allies. With this theme in mind, now, more than 75 years later, 11 follies (a derivative of the word ‘foolness’) have been realised in the forest. Buildings with special architecture, which fool man or beast in a certain way, just like the camouflaged buildings in WWII,' reads the introduction on the website of the project's initiator www.buitenplaatskoningsweg.nl.
Whoever makes the effort to discover the beauty of the landscape of the Veluwe, makes rewarding discoveries; the landscape is home to an unprecedented diversity of plant and animal species: from the rare fritillary to the imposing red deer, from the gentian blue to the lesser black salsify.
With our follie, we want visitors to look at the big and the small. For us, it is not only about the panoramic view in the distance but also about the many small details that make up the nature of the Veluwe: about insects, birds and plants. The follie therefore provides a home not only for people but also for nature's little creatures.
| location: | Buitenplaats Koningsweg, Arnhem |
| design: | 2021 |
| construction: | 2022 |
| client: | Carole van der Linden |
| structural advisor: | Jaap Dijks - Goudstikker De Vries |
| installation advisor: | Kenny Vonk - Adviesbureau W-inst |
| contractor: | Elmer Koopmans i.c.w. Joris Jansens en Tom Vollaard |
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| fotografie:: | Joppe Douma |
The concept of our follie is inspired by a common structure in Dutch nature; the birdhouse. They come in all shapes and sizes. The hut benefits from being as unnoticeable as possible, and at the same time it should provide as much view and overview as possible.
In front of the large beech tree and surrounded by forest, the follie was lifted from ground level and set on stilts. The lifting serves two purposes; first to protect the roots and water balance of the beech and second to create altitude for views. Moreover, the visual field at eye level is disrupted as little as possible. Strategically placed at the junction of two dirt paths, there is a good overview of the surrounding landscape. Close to the tree canopy of the large beech tree, you almost imagine yourself in the trees. Nature is close at hand, but through the trees there are also panoramic views towards the heath landscape.
The follie stands as a quirky volume in the landscape. Cocky and proud when the shutters are open, modest and unremarkable when the shutters are closed. Just like a flower at night it closes its petals. Only the red door suggests habitation.
It is oriented in such a way that upstairs offers a panoramic view of the large beech tree and the forest on the north side to vistas of heathland on the south side. Through the colour and materialisation of the facade, the follie blends well into its wooded surroundings.
Because we like to let visitors look at nature from different viewpoints, the follie consists out of several stacked ‘rooms’ with views. The covered terrace, floating just slightly above the ground, focuses attention on nature, plants and insects nearby. This ‘room’ is part of the outdoor space and thus open on all sides. With the installation of an outdoor kitchen, this terrace functions as a ‘summer living room’.
On the second floor, views unfold on all sides to the treetops with vistas to the sloping heathland. The trees are close at hand. You can almost touch them. In wet or cold weather, this will be the living kitchen. This makes it an efficient and comfortable lodging for all seasons.
The detailing of the follie invites nature in. At different heights of the follie you will find features carefully tailored to the animals we welcome. This makes the follie a nesting place, beehive and insect hotel. We deliberately provide spaces, cracks, crevices and cavities in the cladding, and under the roof overhangs there is space for nests and nesting boxes. Special attention is paid to wild bees, butterflies and bats.
