Called Freebooter, the biophilic house in Amsterdam, designed by architectural studio GG-loop, was inspired by the Dutch maritime past, using only materials that would be used in the construction of a ship.

The building consists of two duplexes of 120m2 each. The name, Freebooter, is a reference to historical private freelancers who assembled sailors to explore the high sea. “Sensitive to Dutch history, customs and culture, the project took the Netherlands’s maritime past as its starting point,” the GG-loop states. “As well as acknowledging Dutch innovation and the nations’ pioneering nature, it was the spirit of the Freebooter that project architect, designer and GG-loop founder Giacomo Garziano sought to bring to the apartments, by bringing together a highly qualified team of craftsmen and carpenters to help him achieve his vision.”

The main material used we limited to wood, steel, and glass, like a ship’s hull. The building is a hybrid structure of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and steel, and was prefabricated offsite. The impact on the cost of an efficient CLT structure is less than 10%, compared to a concrete solution. The parametric façade is designed to distribute the light optimally, while also allowing an appropriate level of privacy.

The building’s energy consumption is close to zero, thanks to the 24 solar panels on the roof, combined with high-performance wall insulation, low-temperature underfloor heating, and a mechanical and natural ventilation system.

98% of the wood used is PEFC certified. With 122.5 m3 of wood used, the building stores nearly 80 tonnes of CO2, offsetting nearly 700,000 km of exhaust gas from a mid-range car and the energy consumption of 87 homes in one year.

Photos: Francisco Nogueira / Michael Sieber (via V2com)