Dutch-style windows are non-standard and rather tall rectangular structures, divided into equal squares or rectangles. The number of such elements varies from 4 to 20, depending on the size of the window and the wishes of the customer.
To fully comply with the style, on the facade side, the windows are framed with platbands. Their design can be discreet or, on the contrary, brighter and more contrasting. Previously, they were made of stone or wood, which was covered with lime or clay. Today it is polyurethane or wood composite. As a decoration, the facade is additionally decorated with stone or decorative plaster.
Dutch style window
Features of the Dutch style
Given architectural style can be described in three words: simplicity, functionality and comfort. Its interiors are simple and comfortable to live in.
If we talk about appearance building in the Dutch style, its facade is undoubtedly recognizable. Clean lines, discreet finishing. The windows are located symmetrically relative to the center of the facade.
The color scheme is simple: red, gray, brown and their shades, complemented by contrasting white elements.
The main feature of the Dutch style is that in external and interior decoration are used only natural materials. If these are walls, then brick, if they are windows, then wood. Tile and glass are also used.
IN modern world Window structures can also be made from plastic, giving it a wood design. This option also applies. But true wood has its own warmth and, most importantly, a pleasant smell.
Opening window in Dutch style
To add contrast to the home's exterior, window frames usually painted in white. For a complete immersion in style, you can add shutters. In our region they are not so necessary, but they will definitely give the building an external flavor.
Dutch style windows made of solid pine
Such products are practical, beautiful and comfortable. Modern paint coatings significantly extend their service life. They perfectly withstand all the fluctuations of nature. And require minimal care in the form of wiping soap solution if necessary.
Dutch window close up
Conclusion
The Dutch style is suitable for those who value coziness and comfort, but do not tolerate excessive pathos.
The Dutch architecture of buildings once greatly impressed Peter I himself, and as a result, today this style is an integral part of our city of St. Petersburg.
You can order Dutch-style windows by phone or by leaving a request on our website. We are waiting for you in our office.
Frames and windows are of EXCELLENT quality, ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEAN, BEAUTIFUL!!
Travelers arriving in Holland for the first time pay attention to the lack of curtains on the windows of houses. For us, such a way of life seems completely unthinkable. Curtains or blinds on windows are an integral part of the interior of apartments and office premises. But the Dutch get along just fine without them.
There is a reason for this tradition that goes back to the distant past.
How the Dutch manage without curtains
A strange, from our point of view, tradition originated in Holland in the 16th century. The local population rebelled against the rule of the Spaniards and the Catholic Church. Protestants gathered in houses and held church meetings. The governor of the Dutch territories of Spain, the Duke of Alba, issued an order prohibiting the closing of windows in houses. So he sought to take control of the local residents. Despite this and the brutal suppression of the rebels, Holland still gained independence. But the ban on curtains has already become a tradition. Local residents were in no hurry to close their windows from prying eyes. There are several reasons for this:
- The Dutch demonstrate their openness in this way. They show everyone that they live honestly and have nothing to hide.
- The interior of the houses requires a minimum of furniture. Thick, heavy curtains clearly do not fit into this picture.
- Holland is a northern country. There are not many sunny days here. During the winter months, daylight hours are very short. Therefore, local residents prefer to keep their windows open to sunlight.
On the Dutch windows you can only see light lace curtains. They love to decorate window sills with figurines and flowerpots.
Walking around the city you can see the life of the Dutch in their houses. You can admire beautiful chandeliers, elegant interior, see how a family with children in cozy home suits and white socks spend the evening together. But the Dutch themselves are not interested in the lives of their neighbors. They never look into their windows.
The once forcibly imposed tradition of not covering windows with curtains has appealed to open and honest people. It has become an integral feature of Dutch cities today, giving the country an attractive atmosphere of openness and trust.
The work of one of the most prominent representatives of Holland in modern architecture, Rem Koolhaas, leaves no one indifferent. Beginning his career as a film actor, director and screenwriter, the Dutchman eventually chose architecture and became known around the world as a real master deconstructivism style. Our review presents 15 stunning projects by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, the mere appearance of which is admirable.
1. Concert hall "House of Music" in Porto, Portugal
Concert hall "House of Music"
Concert hall "House of Music"
The House of Music concert hall was built in the center of Porto in 2005. Externally, this modern building resembles a huge truncated cube, which many people jokingly compare to a piece of refined sugar. However, the interiors of the House of Music are even more surprising - interior walls adjacent to each other and intersecting at completely unimaginable angles, and in each room incredible perspectives open up. The main hall, where three orchestras perform, seats just over 1,200 spectators. In addition, the House of Music has an additional auditorium for 350 people and rehearsal spaces.
2. Villa dall"Ava in Paris, France
Villa dall"Ava in Paris, France
Villa dall"Ava in Paris, France: rooftop pool
Villa dall "Ava was built according to the design of the architectural bureau Rem Koolhaas OMA in the outskirts of Paris in 1991. The villa consists of two buildings: one of them is intended for the customer, and the second for his daughter. These buildings are two cubes raised above the ground on special supports. On the roof of one of them there is a swimming pool and a “green” area, from where a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower opens. A distinctive feature of Koolhaas’s Parisian building is the idea of “moving upstairs” all significant rooms - on the first floors there are stairs, small kitchens and garages.
In 2009, the construction of a unique CCTV headquarters building in the Chinese capital was completed. The new CCTV headquarters, located on 20 hectares of land, is considered the most significant project of the famous Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. The modern skyscraper consists of two towers (54 and 44 floors), the height of the larger of them is 234 m. The two buildings are connected to each other using horizontal structures at the level of the top floors and at the base. It is interesting that because of such unusual shape the structure received the nickname "Big Pants".
The 254-meter tall Stock Exchange Tower in Shenzhen was completed in 2013. The first thing that catches your eye when you see a 46-story skyscraper is the 3-story base raised above the ground at around 36 m, which has actually turned into a huge console. Inside this base there are: an operating room, a conference center, exhibition areas and an office for exchange employees. On the roof of the raised base there is a recreational area with ornamental garden, from where they open panoramic views city of Shenzhen. Directly in the tower itself are the offices of the exchange management.
Europe's first dedicated dance theater, with incredible soundproofing, a unique auditorium and all the necessary facilities, was built in The Hague in 1987. In addition to the main hall, designed for 1001 seats, the theater building houses 4 huge studios for rehearsals and training, a swimming pool, a sauna, a special relaxation room, a gym and a dining room where the best chefs of The Hague work. For theater visitors there is a spacious lobby with several cafes and a large buffet, where all drinks and treats are served completely free of charge. The dance theater project was Rem Koolhaas's first serious work.
The summer pavilion of the Serpentine Art Gallery was erected in London's Kensington Park in 2006. The structure, which operated from July to October 2006, included daily cultural events - public discussions and conferences, film screenings and exhibitions of the German sculptor and photographer Thomas Demand. The main feature of the pavilion was an egg-shaped inflatable ceiling made of translucent material, especially impressive when illuminated at night. This “roof” was transformed - it could be raised and lowered depending on weather conditions. Inside the pavilion there was a cafe and an amphitheater for public events.
The Dee and Charles Wiley Drama Theater opened in Dallas in 2009. Koolhaas's main innovation in this project was his decision to place the foyer and technical rooms not in front or behind the auditorium, as is usually the case, but, accordingly, below and above it. Spectators must go down to the lobby, located underground, and then go back up to the first floor to enter the main hall, which seats 575 people. The hall is glazed on three sides, which is why nearby public gardens and modern complexes can become part of the performance. However, it is worth noting that, if necessary, these transparent surfaces can be covered with black curtains. It is also surprising that, depending on the performance, the location of the audience rows and the floor profile can be easily changed.
The National University Museum of Art opened in Seoul in 2005 and became the first facility of its kind in all of South Korea. Externally, this structure is a truncated parallelepiped. The structure of the art museum includes several exhibition halls, lecture rooms, auditoriums, an assembly hall, a library, etc. Since the museum is part of the university, various training programs and master classes are held within its walls. Special attention is given contemporary art and holding events that in one way or another involve music, literature, cinema or theatrical performances. The Seoul Museum has become one of the new symbols of architecture developing at an incredible pace South Korea.
A complex of three high-rise towers on a glass base was built on the banks of the Nieuwe Maas river in Rotterdam and became the largest mixed-use building in the Netherlands. It is worth noting that the territory where the “vertical city” of Koolhaas is located total area 160 thousand sq. m, is already decorated with masterpieces by outstanding contemporary architects Alvaro Siza, Renzo Piano and Norman Foster, which makes it a kind of center of architectural achievements in Holland. The central skyscraper De Rotterdam is entirely dedicated to office premises. The western tower houses residential apartments, while the eastern tower houses offices and the four-star Nhow Hotel. In the basement there are various public spaces, exhibition halls, cafes, restaurants, shops and conference rooms. There is a three-level parking underground.
The futuristic Seattle Central Library building was designed by Rem Koolhaas and completed in 2004. The main motive for the construction of this huge complex was the desire to attract true book connoisseurs. The building consists of four facades, decorated metal mesh and glass, each of which is different from each other. In the interiors of the library you can find almost all the colors of the rainbow - numerous escalators are made in light green tones, the children's reading room is in pink and yellow, the conference room is in red, etc. The principle of openness of the internal space of the building became one of the key ones in this project. Interestingly, the library building has no right angles and parallel lines.
The student center "Educatorium" (from the English education - education) was built on the campus of Utrecht University in 1997. The architecture of the building is quite typical for the Dutchman - irregular and sloping shapes, volumes cutting into each other, maximum glazing and multi-level design. Within the walls of the student center there are both educational premises (classrooms, auditoriums and lecture halls) and recreation areas (greenhouse, exhibition hall, game rooms and dining room). The Educatorium, which became a favorite place among students, was Koolhaas's first work related to education in one way or another.
The building of the Dutch Embassy in Berlin, built in 2003, is a strict parallelepiped 27 meters high. The building is completely glazed, which is why you can even see it load-bearing frame. Everything that should not be visible to the prying eyes of passers-by is hidden behind a special smoky glass or overlooks the courtyard. When designing the embassy building, Rem Koolhaas developed a special spiral, moving along which you can walk around the entire perimeter of the building and get to its roof. In 2005, the Berlin project of the Dutch architect was awarded the extremely prestigious European Union architectural award, which is awarded every two years. It is curious that the main member of the commission’s jury was Zaha Hadid, who was once a student of Koolhaas himself.
Exhibition center"Kunsthal" (translated from Dutch. Kunsthall - "Art Hall") was opened in 1992 in Koolhaas's homeland, in the city of Rotterdam. Within the walls of this building with a total area of 3,300 sq. m there is an exhibition divided into three exhibition halls, a photo gallery and a design gallery. Thanks to this, the Kunsthal can host five to six exhibitions simultaneously. Also in the exhibition center there is a spacious auditorium, a café-restaurant, a bookstore and a small VIP room. The Kunsthalle hosts about 25 expositions and exhibitions annually.
14. McCormick-Tribune Campus Center train station, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, USA
The McCormick-Tribune Campus Center train station opened at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago in 2003. This unusual structure was Koolhaas’s first completed project in the United States. Interestingly, the station is located above another Dutch facility - a one-story student building. The design of the station is a steel pipe-floor 161 m long. With this object, Rem Koolhaas wanted to pay tribute to his idol Mies van der Rohe, as evidenced by the presence of characteristic features of the German metal frames and continuous glazing, as well as his portrait on the facade of the main building of the institute.
Modern building The exhibition hall "Milstein Hall" was opened on the territory of Cornell University of Architecture and Design near New York in 2011. The exhibition hall contains: a spacious lobby, a conference center for 240 people, exhibition spaces, a university archive, a small dining room and cafe for visitors, as well as numerous studios designed for the collective design of small groups of students. Home architectural feature The building is served by the fact that it is literally cut into the old university building at the second floor level.
Rem Koolhaas is the founder of the largest architectural bureau OMA, which is the author of many incredible projects. You can get acquainted with some of the projects of this company in our materials: and. It is known that Rem Koolhaas is not only a practicing architect, but also a keen expert on the theory of architecture. Of course, his most famous student can be called Zaha Hadid, whose work we touched on in the article.
In ethnic version:
Imagine the greenery of gardens on the flat Dutch landscapes, and among this green splendor, the whitewashed plastered facades of houses, fastened and supported by beams, posts and crossbars darkened with time.
Isn’t it true that the picturesque works of the “little Dutchmen” immediately come to mind, thanks to which the Dutch home is so famous.
They made us see the ordinary, everyday beauty of seemingly insignificant everyday little things, and created such types of painting as everyday interiors and still life. Their canvases breathe coziness, and the quiet life of things reveals a special meaning and simple beauty.
Interior features, finishing
Like all others, the Dutch style has a number of its own distinctive features, distinguishing it from motley row brothers To such characteristic features applies:
- A phenomenal combination of natural (wood and stone) and man-made (tiles, ceramics, brick), but no less natural materials.
One of the most important elements Dutch style – decorative brickwork unplastered walls. She looks great both outside and inside. interior decoration premises.
But if you don’t like the brick “nude” look, you can easily replace it with unpainted, unpasted wallpaper, wooden walls(panels), or simply paint them in shades of light ocher or pale blue.
Floor, ceiling and furniture style
Dutch style flooring is usually made from natural wood or stone, although they look quite in keeping with ceramic tiles simulating natural stone, piece parquet and even high-quality laminate.
The ceiling is whitewashed and decorated with decorative or working crossbars made of wood darkened by time.
To match the ceiling crossbars and furniture. Straightforward, strict and even slightly rough chairs with a massive table self made, are adjacent to the invention of the Dutch - a slide for dishes with glass doors, separated by a lattice, in the manner of classic Dutch windows “in 9 glasses”, shelves, which are lined with a variety of white and blue dishes.
And wooden chests of drawers, darkened with time, blend very organically with simple forms armchairs upholstered in leather or fabric and an openwork old bronze chandelier.
Windows
The Dutch style is especially worth noting for its windows. As mentioned above, they are classically divided into 9 parts by a lattice, high and often right up to the floor, crystal washed and completely devoid of curtains.
Although city life with a high population density, nevertheless made its own adjustments: in order not to confuse the neighbors, they began to curtain the windows opposite with thin swirled tulle.
Accessories
The Dutch style acquires a special chic and aroma thanks to its inherent accessories:
- the finest painting of stove tiles decorating the center of the living room and the constant attribute - the fireplace,
- and the massive roughness of the table of peasant work,
- the wood of the shelves, darkened by time, and the boiling white, lacy foam of openwork napkins on them,
- old ceramic thick dishes and burning, polished copper teapots with gracefully curved handles.
Special antique gourmets, of course, will try to find in antique shops antique Dutch clocks with an organ chime, antique or stylized in the 17th-18th centuries geographical maps, paintings and prints in simple black frames or an antique globe. Well, behind the transparency of the window, a flower bed with tulips of all stripes will look unusually “Dutch”.