A temporary overnight location made of canvas and wood

Dutch architects Floor Skrabanja and Fé Ramakers designed an overnight location sustainable canvas and wood as part of a project celebrating the 200th anniversary of the city of Veenhuizen, the Netherlands.

Called De Vooruitkijker (‘The Lookout’), the overnight location looks a bit like a small watchtower. The walls consist of a wooden construction with stretched canvas, which consists of a mix of hemp, organic cotton and recycled polyester. The interior is made from biodegradable sheet material made of hemp and flax by Rik Makes (view the material here in our library).

The construction is lightweight, with little impact on the soil. It is also fully demountable. The design was inspired by the history of the landscape, which consist of excavated and not excavated peat.

For the 200th anniversary of the city of Veenhuizen, the Netherlands, seven temporary overnight locations have been added to the landscape. Called Veen|Huis|Hotel (link in Dutch), the project is an initiative by restaurant Bitter en Zoet and Ketter&Co, a collective of makers and thinkers that aims for a more sustainable society.

For the project, the designers, architects and artists had to use sustainable materials that were harvested or found locally, and the way of building had to be sustainable and energy efficient. In addition to Jaap Le and Thomas Latjes, overnight locations have been designed in the landscape by Anne Beuk, Fé Ramakers and Floor Skrabanja, Werkstatt, Studio TMOJ, Tjeerd Veenhoven and Overtreders W.

Photos: Floor Skrabanja and Fé Ramakers