Rising just enough to read as one storey from the road, the thatched-roof villa steps down toward the river at the back. That difference in level sets the tone for the whole house. Three smaller volumes face the dike, while the rear opens wide with glass, terraces and long views across garden and water. The result is a dike villa with thatch that keeps its profile modest at the front and becomes far more open on the river side.

Three volumes facing the dike

At the front, the house is broken into smaller parts, which keeps its scale close to the surrounding dike homes and farm buildings. White render forms the main shell, while mixed brick, oak structure and the thatched roof give the elevations depth without overloading them. From this side, the villa reads almost as a low building with a roof sitting neatly on top. The compact composition makes the long rooflines and the dark structural accents feel measured rather than dominant.

Those front-facing volumes are not just a formal gesture. They make the house sit more naturally in the landscape of orchards, meadows, osier beds and reed fields. The roof shape, the masonry base and the timber elements all keep the profile grounded. That is where the project’s strength lies: a waterfront villa that answers to the dike first, then turns outward to the river behind it.

Where the house opens to the river

The rear side changes the pace completely. Large windows and terraces pull the interior toward the garden, and the glazing stretches across the façade to pull in daylight and views. From this side, the house no longer reads as a compact dike volume but as a villa on the river side, with more depth and more room to spread out. The terraces sit at different levels, which makes the transition between house, garden and water feel direct and legible.

The effect is strongest where the rear elevation drops to the level of the river. The basement with daylight becomes part of the living sequence instead of a hidden service zone. Light enters through high-set windows and garden doors, so the lower level feels connected to the outside rather than buried in the dike. It is an intelligent response to the site, but also a practical one: the changing levels are absorbed into the plan instead of being forced into a single flat floor.

A basement that reads like ground level

Because the villa is built into the dike, the lower part of the house has a different relationship to the landscape than the front. At the back, the basement with daylight sits directly beside the garden and receives light through the windows at grade. That makes it a natural place for a study and a guest room, both with clear views and their own connection to the outside. Doors lead straight to the terrace, so the level below the main living floor still feels active and used.

Above it, the real ground floor holds the main living kitchen, positioned where the house looks out toward both the garden and the river. It is the point where the plan comes together. Around it, the larger arrangement leaves room to move away from the centre and use the separate spaces in different ways. The house does not compress everything into one large room; it allows the family to gather, then step back into quieter corners when needed.

Terraces, steps and the edge of the garden

The rear terraces are one of the clearest parts of the project. Their level changes make the shift from interior to exterior visible in a single glance. A stair cuts through the terrace zone, while paving and lawn are placed with enough precision to keep the setting open. The garden is not treated as a backdrop. It is tied to the plan of the villa, and the terraces take on the role of threshold, platform and viewing point at the same time.

From the water side, the house feels active rather than closed. The broad openings, timber details and dark masonry at terrace level create a strong horizontal line along the back. A covered outdoor area and the brickwork visible near the water edge add another layer to that sequence. In a dike villa with thatch, these transitions matter: they decide how the house settles into the site and how the interior reaches toward the river.

Material layers that soften the roofline

The outside of the villa combines fresh render with oak framing, mixed brick and a thatched roof. Each material does a different job. The render keeps the larger surfaces calm, the oak gives the structure a visible rhythm, and the brick introduces a denser base where the house meets the ground. Above that, the thatch bends the roofline softly and ties the different volumes together without flattening them into one shape.

Seen with the wide glazing and dark accents, the palette stays restrained but not plain. The contrast between white walls, timber and darker surfaces gives the villa a clear outline from both the dike and the river side. It is a thatched-roof villa that relies on proportion and surface rather than display. That is what makes it easy to read: front and back are different in mood, but they belong to the same house.

Built for views, storage and daily use

The plan is generous without becoming vague. There are enough rooms for people to withdraw, and enough openness where the family comes together. Storage, circulation and split levels are handled through the structure of the house itself, which keeps the living spaces free of clutter. The daylight basement gives the lower floor a useful role, while the upper level remains focused on the kitchen and the long view outward. It is a villa designed to work with its site, not against it.

What stays with you is the sequence: small front volumes, a roof that settles over them, then a rear side that opens through glass and terraces toward the water. The house is clearly shaped by the dike, but it is equally shaped by the wish to live beside the river and use the landscape every day. As a waterfront villa, it answers that brief with a plan that is both quiet and direct.

Photography by Dick Ruumpol.