Completed in 2020, the Four Seasons House is a prefabricated, negative-carbon family home located in the Drijflanen nature reserve in Tilburg, Netherlands. Designed by architect Joris Verhoeven for himself and his family, the 70-square-meter house was built to intensely experience the versatile Dutch seasons while fitting seamlessly into its natural surroundings. The small, black-clad structure was built on a site that once served as a sheep-grazing heather field for the local wool industry, and the design intentionally lacks barriers to fully connect with the nature outside. The house was constructed using sustainable and efficient techniques, featuring a prefabricated structure made of wood framing cassettes filled with flax insulation, which has a negative carbon footprint. This prefabricated method allowed for rapid construction, with the entire structure erected in just three days after the foundation was poured. The exterior is clad in black-stained timber, which helps the house blend in with the dark trunks of the surrounding trees. A unique feature of the exterior is a natural fungal coating specially cultivated to protect the siding, which also possesses a self-repairing capability. Inside, the interior is finished with birch plywood, reflecting the minimalist and natural aesthetic of the design. The pure construction method, where the structural framework serves as the finishing layer, contributed to a faster and more cost-effective build. Large, carefully placed windows act as "changing landscape paintings," providing dynamic views of the reserve throughout the year. Matte black accents on the interior doors, kitchen, and stair railings tie the inside aesthetic to the black exterior. The home is entirely self-sufficient, relying on solar and thermal panels for energy. Credits Architect: Joris Verhoeven Architectuur Contractor: Cloïn totaalbouw Prefab Structure: Isovlas Oisterwijk BV Photography: William van der Voort and John van Groenedaal