When a couple with two children set out to build a new house in the outskirts of Breda, The Netherlands, they wanted something different from the standard Dutch catalogue dwelling, going so far as to describe their preference for a “tent” or a “hangar.”

The resulting structure represents a dramatic stylistic departure from the popular, but commonplace, concrete, brick and tile suburban houses available in catalogues. Not merely a stunning visual statement, NL-D’s Huisjeshuis is economically competitive with such Dutch tract housing, offers a very generous – and diversified - 425 sq m of usable living space, and includes a number of environmentally beneficial features.

The building shell comprises a load-bearing construction of corrugated steel and sandwich metal cladding, which results in a very light-weight structure needing only a relatively light foundations. Such a “light” approach employs highly recyclable steel, minimizes impact on the ground itself, and requires less fuel and other resources for transportation and handling. Additionally, by building efficiently and using standard, mass produced products, it is possible to save budget for additional special wishes, including adding space later.

The half-round shape of the hall called for an innovative heating and cooling system, and the shape itself actually makes a wall radiation system ideal. Between the inside and outside cladding, in the curves of the inside plate, 1,800 metres of wall radiation pipe, connected to a ground source heat pump and braided in 13 separate units, creates a fast working system that does not require warm-up of a huge mass, as does a standard floor heating system.

Further promoting efficient energy use, the south-facing elevation is fully glazed, contributing to interior climate control. In the warm Dutch summer an overhanging sunflap keeps the sun’s rays outside; in the cold season the low rise of the sun provides a greenhouse-like warming of the interior space. To prevent cold air from descending the south glass facade from above, there are several metres of heating pipe braided into the three upper horizontal aluminium profiles.

The full glass facade on the south, along with two large, glazed sliding doors on the east and west sides, allows ample daylight into the building. A spacious wooden terrace fronts the glass façade. To emphasize the spaciousness of the hall, create double-high spaces in the living area and the hallway, and provide stunning views of the neighbourhood and surrounding areas, NL-D designed the upper floor bedrooms using a kind of table construction separate from the walls.

A standard steel spiral staircase kit provides access to the three main upper rooms, which are connected by a footbridge.

On its exterior, the Huisjeshuis features two wooden garden houses that provide office space, a greenhouse in the garden that provides an additional “outside” bathroom, and a Siberian log house for a sauna. A polyester “lookout/gatekeeper cabin” on the roof will be added later. These structures connect with the main space with a specially developed polyester seal that can also serve in combination with a standard skylight for daylight penetration and ventilation.

A spacious garage faces north and incorporates a sheltering overhang. The house also employs a catch basin under the wood terrace to collect rainwater for toilets, garden watering and the sauna.

After laying of the foundation, Huisjeshuis was completed in about six months. However, NL-D estimates that with the experience gained with the first edition, it is possible to build future iterations in approximately four months.

Studio NL-D of Rotterdam was an entrant in the Living Steel Third Competition in 2008. The small firm specializes in idea and product development in various fields and in several scale levels. Its work comes mainly from commission, but it also pursues self-initiated projects, as well. The portfolio ranges from furniture design and product development to housing and urban planning.

Anke Schiemann and Arco Zweistra established Studio NL-D in 2005. Born in Germany, Anke studied architecture in Germany and The Netherlands and is a graduate of TU Dresden. Arco was born in The Netherlands and studied art instruction, philosophy, design and architecture in The Netherlands. He is a graduate of HKU in Utrecht.