You know what’s nice? Recycling. Taking something old and making something new out of it. So what if that old thing is a Jaguar? Hang it on the wall and put some books and booze in it and make it into a combination liquor cabinet and bookshelf. That’s what the owner of the Dutch Mountain home did. We have a few car-obsessed friends, and seeing this vintage Jag permanently off the road might make them cry, but it’s all in the name of sustainability.
The energy-efficient cabin was designed by Amsterdam studio denieuwegeneratie. “Since the house was going to be a sustainable example, he could not drive around in a fuel-consuming car anymore,” architect Thomas Dieben told Co.Design. “Selling it would do more harm than keeping it. … It was hoisted in during construction, since this would’ve been impossible after closing the roof.” Other items that cost way less that were incorporated into the interior decoration? Skateboard decks as stairs and a teapot chandelier. We doubt anyone will be weeping over those, though, unless it’s Mrs. Potts who’s hanging from the ceiling.
Located on a nature reserve, the house has other features that lessen its ecological footprint. The architects constructed a hill and built part of the home into it to help insulate the building. It’s so efficient, it produces more energy than it needs, enough to power an electric car. (Guess the owner really doesn’t need that Jag anymore.)
The “house reads like a novel by Murakami,” according to the architects. “An adventure without beginning or end.” Still upset about the fate of that car? Just remember that quote from Hear the Wind Sing: “Everything passes. Nobody gets anything for keeps. And that’s how we’ve got to live.”
