Anticipating the Landscape | Andrew van Egmond

This unique garden embraces a remarkable home set in the poetic landscape of Schoorl.
Connecting it to the broader landscape is an essential aspect of the design.

The plot is situated within the bocage landscape behind the broad dune in Schoorl, approximately five kilometres from the sea. While the shoreline isn’t visible, there’s a palpable sense of the endless horizon that lies beyond the high dune edge. The setting feels almost non-Dutch. The dune’s elevation evokes the experience of a hillside. In the evening, sunlight projects over the dark forest facade and onto the high dune, casting a magical light that illuminates every open space in the landscape.

The distinctive architecture by Paul de Ruiter sits atop a mound. From the kitchen and living room, the house is elevated above the surrounding landscape. Long sightlines and spatial compositions in the garden, along with the interplay of light and shadow, orient the viewer toward the broader landscape.

From the living room, the garden seems to extend into the adjacent pasture, with only a narrow ditch—punctuated by the occasional Alder tree—marking the boundary. In the eastern corner of the property, a characteristic Alder forest continues into the neighbouring lot without any fencing, further reinforcing a seamless connection to the surrounding nature.

What makes this garden particularly compelling is its location on a subtle transition zone between higher sandy soils and the lower peat meadows of the hinterland. In the lower, wetter part of the garden lies the Alder forest, with its distinctive rhythm of tall, slender trunks. This landscape transition is now more visible and more deeply felt through the design. A strong diagonal line accentuates the forest’s edge, directing orientation toward the broader landscape. This diagonal gesture also makes the garden appear even more expansive. A precise, linear steel element marks the height difference and the transition from lawn meadow to forest. A long wall, made from solid concrete blocks, appears to float subtly above the forest floor.

The refinement of this bold gesture is key. In this case, the finesse lies in allowing the entire structure to float, and in the distinctive sandblasted graphic—designed by Studio BLAD—which adds movement and refers to the shifting sands of nearby dunes. The same graphic appears on the wall along the driveway, reinforcing the theme.

The composition of long, clean lines and bold gestures contrasts with the lushness of nature. Floating boardwalks are placed freely; green flows everywhere, and lines cut through cushions of grass and clusters of tree trunks. Despite its strong formal elements, the garden does not overpower the architecture—instead, it allows the home to stand confidently within the landscape.

The materials used in the design are robust yet refined. The concrete gestures, with their subtle finishes, are designed to age beautifully. The wooden boardwalk will weather naturally into the Alder forest. Sharp steel lines define the garden’s elevation changes and heighten the contrast between architecture and nature. These elements are coated black, matching the steel of the house, allowing the garden to subtly echo the architecture.

As mentioned, the house is lifted above the landscape and sits on a mound, appearing almost detached from its surroundings. This sense of separation is enhanced by placing the house within a field of grasses. The monolith of black steel, black-stained wood, and large mirrored windows—reflecting the sky—rests in a soft cushion of ornamental grasses that change colour, texture, and volume throughout the seasons and respond constantly to the weather.

Filtered light in the evening, morning dew, wind on a turbulent day, and winter frost are all captured within the field of grasses, creating a poetic sense of one's place in the landscape.