Wolzak

The project treats history and innovation as complementary rather than opposing forces. Rather than contrasting old and new through material or form, SeARCH chose continuity: the thatched roof of the original farmhouse remains, while the new wing reinterprets the traditional barn shape through a warped, perspective-distorted silhouette.

Built from prefabricated wood panels, the new volume contains an open-plan kitchen, workroom, guest room and storage beneath its steep roof. Timber recurs throughout — as cladding, structure and interior finish — tying together the restored farmhouse and its contemporary extension.

Completed between 2002 and 2004 for a young local family, the project received the Achterhoek Architecture Prize in 2005, recognising its sensitive handling of a historic rural typology.