This Dutch eco-home hunkers down into the landscape, buried in a grassy mound of earth in the Gooi Nature Reserve near Amsterdam.
Dutch Mountain, as it is known in English, was designed by architect and art historian couple Sanne Oomen and Lucas Mol in 2011 as a living museum for their collection of objects and art, which have been incorporated into its construction.
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
Courtesy of Sotheby’s International Realty
A ship’s steel door, complete with turning wheel, leads into the Dutch property where a mezzanine overlooks the double-height living room – a soaring glass atrium with views of the garden.
In the kitchen, the couple’s old Daimler Double Six vintage car has been mounted on the wall as a shelving unit. Counters and cupboards are all ‘thrift’, says Mol – a mix of second-hand units refashioned by the pair into a bespoke design.
Elsewhere, mini surfboard steps lead down to the sunken living room, while African masks hide speakers, and tree branches create a frame for a hanging chair.
After six years living in their semi-subterranean home, Oomen and Mol are ready to tackle a new project: ‘We want to create rather than maintain and inspire others to live more sustainably too, with a new, circular building project,’ they explain.
The four-bedroom property is on the market as a gesamtkunstwerk via Sotheby’s International Realty (price on application), and furniture – and a brood of bantam hens – are included in the sale.
But there’s scope for the new owner to leave their own mark too: the 6,600 sq m garden has plenty of space for a studio or guest house…
