The project for the residence of the Irish Ambassador in Wassenaar consists of two parts: an extension with a carport and the high-quality renovation of an existing building. The extension contains a professional kitchen and an apartment for the cook. As a consequence of the limited space in the zoning plan, the apartment is placed half underground below the kitchen, with an incision in the landscape at the side to provide daylight. The work surface of the kitchen acts as a light box for the apartment, adding an extra metre of room height along the facade. The side facade of the kitchen and apartment is a patchwork of glued sheets of glass which mirror the sloping green, making the building blend into the surroundings and almost disappear.

 The two facades facing the garden and terrace are equipped with a green facade system consisting of stainless steel caissons filled with sedum plants. Seen from the garden, the extension appears as a green hedge rather than a building. At the front side of the extension, the client needed a covered parking space for two cars. In order to conform to the zoning plan, the carport is solved as a 3-metre-wide, L-shaped roof, with a 10-metre cantilever covering the parking spaces. The carport is constructed entirely of steel plates and was installed on site in one piece. The existing building contains a reception area on the ground floor, the ambassador’s living quarters on the first floor, and guest rooms on the second floor.