Ketelhuis

A new collective hot water facility in Hoek van Holland will provide heating for 161 newly built houses. The plant is situated on the border of two contrasting landscapes: The industrialized waterscape of the harbor of Rotterdam and the natural dune landscape of the North Sea coast.

The dunes in which the new plant is projected are used mainly as a recreational area. The lower part of the building that holds the boiler is tucked way in the dense green bushes. To make a gesture towards the public character of the surroundings we proposed to make part of the building publicly accessible.

By adding a staircase, clad in diamond mesh metal, the chimney of the heating plant becomes a public viewing platform from which the impressive contrasting natural and man-made landscapes can be enjoyed.