Health

Indoor air is humid because you cook, wash, shower, and simply breathe. In the past, houses were much less well insulated, which meant that this moisture could easily escape to the outside through cracks and holes. That is no longer possible. Moisture can therefore become a problem as it can cause rot and damage. How to solve that?

Let’s compare a building with a raincoat. When it rains or snows, you stay nice and dry. But what if you go for a run or if it freezes? Then you risk becoming hypothermic or overheated. The raincoat does not breathe and this moisture cannot escape. That’s how it works with a building. A commonly used solution is the application of vapour-tight foil. In practice, however, this just doesn’t always work. A small leak can be enough to allow the moisture to penetrate through the walls. Masking everything is not the solution, because then the moisture can no longer escape.

On the other hands, a Gore-Tex raincoat, is waterproof but also has great breathability. In this way, no body heat is lost. This is also the starting point for vapour-permeable construction. Instead of that large ‘plastic bag’ around a building, vapour-permeable wall construction is used with natural materials. The natural materials have a self-regulating capacity for moisture. A building is naturally breathable and has a healthier living environment.

Building in a healthy way goes beyond specific techniques and materials. It’s also about the feeling. In our architecture, we think it is important that you get to experience light, air, and space. Natural light, healthy air, and organised spaces are ways for us to build healthy. In this way, we design buildings where you feel comfortable and healthy.

We use natural materials to create sustainable and healthy buildings with a timeless appearance. Wherever we can, we use pure, fair, and natural materials such as stone, wood, and clay. These materials are better for health than plastic composites.

Our respect for nature goes beyond the choice of materials. By building nature inclusively, we take into account the environment of the building and the relationship of the building to this environment. We require our buildings to support the living rhythm of the animals and plants around the building and make it more pleasant. In this way, we do not disturb biodiversity, but we stimulate it to improve the health of the living environment.