- Project: C House
- Architect: GetAway Projects
- Location: Netherlands, Rijssen
- Year: 2023
- Area: 100 m2
- Photography: Kirsten Bos – Where She Goes
A Contemporary Forest Retreat
Nestled within a private woodland in Rijssen, C House by GetAway Projects is a compact yet striking residence designed as a recreational retreat for six people. Its distinctive C-shaped layout gives the home both its name and character, offering a perfect balance between communal gathering and private retreat.
Spatial Organization and Form
The house is divided into five distinct areas, with a raised kitchen positioned at the center, enjoying panoramic views of the surrounding forest. On both ends of the “C” are elevated bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, while the spaces in between house an intimate sitting room and a dining area. This sequencing creates a rhythmic spatial journey, alternating between openness and shelter.
Despite the modest building restrictions—limited to a maximum 3m in height and 100m² in footprint—the architects devised a home that feels generous, fluid, and connected to its environment. At its longest, the residence stretches 35 meters, with its slender 3-meter width enhancing the linear flow of spaces.
Materiality: Corten Steel and Fraké Wood
The exterior is fully clad in Corten steel, whose warm, weathered patina not only echoes the “C” motif but also harmonizes with the forest backdrop. The reddish tones of the steel contrast beautifully with the untreated Fraké wood window sills and interior finishes. This thermally modified wood adds natural warmth and texture to the otherwise industrial steel shell, creating a balance of robustness and coziness.
Integration of Water and Landscape
C House encloses a 12-meter natural swimming pool with a helophyte filter of lava stones and yellow irises, ensuring ecological water purification. A raised wooden deck sits alongside the pool, while an openable kitchen bar extends outward to the garden, reinforcing the seamless indoor-outdoor connection.
The 5,500 m² private forest surrounding the house merges into the larger woodland, offering complete immersion in nature. The design enhances both togetherness and retreat, with separate bedroom wings ensuring privacy while communal spaces encourage interaction.
Structure and Sustainability
Constructed as a steel frame house, C House uses insulated sandwich panels for the roof and walls, finished externally with Corten steel sheets. This efficient system allows for high insulation performance while maintaining a slim profile. The open-plan layout, combined with sliding doors for the bedrooms, allows the home to adapt to different needs and levels of privacy.
