This former bunker located in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie in Fort Vuren, the Netherlands was transformed by Belgian architecture studio B-ILD. The original idea was to convert it temporarily as a promotional stunt for the Dutch client Famous. The project was so successful, however, that they decided to rent it out as a leasable holiday home. The 3m by 3m space concealed within the thick concrete walls of the historically protected structure left not a lot of flexibility, so the renovation boasted a fair amount of ingenuity. Many of the original features were kept, such as the rusting steel door frames and the tiny windows.  The interior was fitted with custom wooden fixtures that serve various functions: the living room can be transformed into a dining room, when stools become steps and side tables with operable cabinets transform the volumetric feeling of the interior. To make up for the lack of space, an exterior wooden deck was added in the exact dimensions as the footprint of the bunker. The wooden planks of that deck bear the same dimensions as those used in the form work to pour the concrete stronghold. The deck functions as a cooking, hosting and even storage area all the while offering panoramic views of the bunker’s picturesque surroundings.

as the space is relatively small, usable space is extended onto an exterior wooden deck with the exact dimensions as the footprint of the bunker. the wooden planks that make up the deck are the same dimensions as those used in the form work to pour the concrete stronghold. it can be used for cooking, hosting, and even storage, offering panoramic views of the picturesque landscape.

photography: Tim van de Velde