Hideout

The concept of the Hideout was born out of a growing need of many Dutch people to go on holiday in their own country. Reasons behind this: the weather in the Netherlands is getting better, people have started to make more sustainable holiday choices, and people continue to live in small apartments in the Randstad for longer and have children later on, with the result that they have a higher disposable income at a younger age. During the pandemic, people preferred to look closer to home. Now there are few locations in the Netherlands that offer space, in nature, with entertainment for every generation, and with the quality standards that Randstad residents have become accustomed to. The Hideout responds to this need.

The landscape serves as the basis for the master plan of the Hideout. A modern plan that does justice to the cultural history of the estate and the nature of the Veluwe. That puts landscape first and brings nature to your room. With a diversity of places and experiences, which always offers a new perspective on the environment. From yoga between the tree trunks to playing between the crowns and waking up among the deer. With places of peace and seclusion, and places of conviviality, meetings, and events. Where the boundary between indoors and outdoors fades into a unique stay in nature.

This master plan attunes all new buildings and buildings to be renovated to the environment. The landscape rooms form the basis for the placement of the buildings. Each room has its own spatial qualities that lead to different coordination between the place and the building, resulting in a ‘tailor-made’ plan that could not be found anywhere else. The Hideout thus becomes a cluster of buildings in the forest; a kind of village that is connected by a walking route. Fully equipped, with a huge variety of accommodation types and activities.

Hideout is a place where sustainability is central. That is why the project opts for modular timber construction and the most environmentally friendly operation. The starting point is that nature should dominate and as can be read in this plan, this is reflected in the architecture, form, choice of materials, and the proposed use. The buildings will be positioned in such a way that they blend in with their surroundings. The building plan is adapted to the natural environment, and not the other way around. Recreational Netherlands is more aware of the environment, nature, and its surroundings, and this project wants to represent that too. The target audience (young families and busy city dwellers) escapes the city for a reason, they want to stretch their legs in nature and be surrounded by greenery.