Future Proof: Arkup Luxury “Boathouse”

By Rhapsody magzine
2019.March.05

The Arkup #1 floating home is a US$5 million luxury boathouse investment against rising sea levels

For sale for US$5.5 million, the luxurious Arkup floating house should be the ultimate high net worth individual’s contingency plan against the looming spectre of rising sea levels

The Arkup No.1 Floating Home is not just a luxurious concept but a revolutionary one. Designed by Dutch architect Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio.nl, Arkup is a unique floating home realised from Olthuis’s philanthropic focus on future habitats and the challenges of rising sea levels and floods resulting from climate change as well as the needs of a booming world population.

The 4 bedroom (each equipped with its own en-suite bathroom) luxury “houseboat” is an off-grid “blue dwelling” and so you aren’t exactly “living on a yacht” – you get to enjoy all the creature comforts of landed real estate except that you’re living right on the water instead of a mere waterfront.

Ranked 122nd on TIME Magazine’s list of the most influential people in the world, Olthuis and his firm specialises in floating structures and homes. His own native Netherlands (through innovative use of dikes, Holland is built mostly on wetlands) with one-third reclaimed land and sits below sea-level so water-based issues are challenges that he has a unique perspective on. The Arkup No.1 or officially “Arkup #1” is a 75 ft (22.9m) long two-story luxury houseboat with 4,350 sq ft of space; the first edition floating home was furnished by Brazil’s Artefacto.

For sale for US$5.5 million, Olthuis’s luxurious Arkup floating house should be the ultimate high net worth individual’s contingency plan against the looming spectre of climate change. Unveiled at the recent Miami Ycaht Show, the Arkup #1 floating home boasts solar power, stabilizing hydraulic stilts, and its own engines. The hydraulic stilts are an innovating self-elevating system can go down 20 feet to lift it above the waves, keeping you and your home safe in a storm. Suffice it to say, if you happened to be caught away from the shore during a storm or a calamitous tsunami event, the Arkup is a literally boathouse, it would just float on the mega waves. Arkup No. 1 is also designed to withstand a Category 4 hurricane (up to 250 km/h winds) and carries stories stored solar energy reserves in its 1,000 kWh battery pack for night time power needs as well as a rainwater collection system for moderate water self-sufficiency.

A pair of 100kW thrusters with 272 horsepower can move the Arkup #1 luxury boathouse up to seven knots, allowing high net worth individuals to flee some of the devastation should a climate disaster strike. Arkup livable yachts combine the best attributes of yachts, floating houses and waterfront villas, with the added benefits of being self-sufficient, sustainable and environmentally friendly.

#1 is for sale in Miami and there are plans to build three more in the next 12 months. There are also preliminary project plans for eco-resorts in the Middle East, Asia and the Caribbean.

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Arkup’s incredible floating home is finally complete… and it’ll cost you $5.5 million

By Adam Williams
New Atlas
February.27.2019
Photo credits: Craig Denis

_{The Arkup #1 is rated to withstand Hurricane winds of up to 155 mph (250 km/h)(Credit: Arkup)}

You could be forgiven for thinking that Arkup’s ambitious concept for a floating home would never be realized, but it has indeed been built and is now for sale for a cool US$5.5 million. Boasting solar power, stabilizing hydraulic stilts, and its own engines, the first model was recently unveiled during the Miami Yacht Show.

The Arkup #1, as it’s officially called, is a 75 ft (22.9 m)-long two-story ultra-luxury houseboat comprising 4,350 sq ft (404 sq m) of floorspace. It was designed by Dutch architecture firm Waterstudio.NL and the model pictured was furnished by Brazil’s Artefacto.

Its most interesting feature compared to other floating homes we’ve seen is its hydraulic stilts. These can be deployed to a depth of 20 ft (6 m) to stabilize the dwelling or lift it above the water line to avoid waves and reduce hull maintenance. The firm also says that it’s rated to withstand Category 4 Hurricane winds of up to 155 mph (250 km/h).

There’s a lot of other tech installed in the Arkup #1 too, including a 36 kW solar panel array and up to 1,000 kWh battery bank that Arkup says is sufficient to power it off-the-grid. Rainwater is collected from the roof and purified for drinking, and a bunch of communication systems are used for the internet, TV and radio. The home is propelled by a pair of 100 kW (134 hp) electric azimuth thrusters, allowing it to reach 7 knots.

The Arkup #1 is fronted by a slide-out deck area, and generous glazing. The model shown features an open-plan ground floor layout with lounge, dining area, kitchen, and a bathroom. Upstairs, there are a total of four bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom.

The model pictured is for sale in Miami and Arkup tells us it plans to build three more in the next 12 months. The firm is also looking into the possibility of developing eco-resorts in the Middle East, Asia and the Caribbean.

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Stormbestendige watervilla: Nederlander bouwt stad van de toekomst

By Frederique Dormaar
RTL Nieuws
February.22.2019
Photo credits: Waterstudio

Net als olieplatformen in de Noordzee kan deze watervilla zich uit het water opduwen.

Het Nederlandse architectenbureau Waterstudio.nl heeft een luxe waterwoning gebouwd, die zich tijdens een orkaan boven de golven uit kan drukken. Dit ontwerp is pas het begin, want er wordt hard gewerkt aan de stad van de toekomst waar woontorens, parkeergarages en parken allemaal drijvend zullen zijn.

Architect Koen Olthuis is net terug uit Miami. Daar is zijn nieuwste project gepresenteerd: een orkaanbestendige watervilla. “De eerste ter wereld”, volgens Olthuis. Bij een hevige storm kan de waterwoning zichzelf wel zes meter uit het water duwen.

Meters boven zee

Bij een traditionele woning op het water slaan golven tegen het huis aan tijdens een orkaan. “En de wind kan er niet omheen”, legt Olthuis uit. Die problemen zijn opgelost wanneer de waterwoning, via palen op de zeebodem, uit het water wordt gedrukt. “Golven slaan dan niet meer tegen de woning en de wind kan er onderdoor.”

De watervilla is gebaseerd op Nederlandse offshoretechniek. Olieplatformen in de Noordzee kunnen zich ook uit de zee duwen als er een storm opsteekt, vertelt Olthuis. Die techniek heeft Waterstudio.nl, dat Olthuis samen met zijn compagnon vijftien jaar geleden heeft opgericht, in zijn nieuwste waterwoning toegepast.

Deze villa kan zichzelf uit het water duwen.

Maquette van een woontoren

Nederland loopt van oudsher mijlenver voor als het gaat om bouwen in en op het water en Olthuis en zijn collega’s maken steeds opnieuw gebruik van die kennis. “Het is net een snoepwinkel”, zegt de architect, die via moederskant uit een scheepsbouwer-familie komt en via zijn vader ingenieursbloed heeft.

De stormbestendige watervilla is met een prijs van 5,5 miljoen euro alleen beschikbaar voor de ‘happy few’, maar er wordt gewerkt aan gangbaardere varianten. “Deze techniek biedt enorme kansen. Je kunt wel 50 ton uit het water duwen. We nu zijn bezig met een drijvende toren van acht lagen. Ik heb de maquette voor me staan.”

Drijvende parkeergarage leasen

Maar de ambities van Olthuis en zijn bureau reiken verder dan dat. Stadions, parkeergarages, studentenflats en zelfs complete parken zouden allemaal drijvend moeten worden. Steden zouden zo veel flexibeler worden, is de gedachte.

Nu zijn steden statisch, legt hij uit. Wegen en bebouwing liggen vast. Je kunt daar moeilijk iets aan veranderen, zegt Olthuis. “Op het water ben je veel flexibeler. Je legt studentenwoningen neer, of een stadion, en je kunt ze weghalen wanneer je wilt.” Je zou ook naar een systeem kunnen gaan waarbij stadions of parkeergarages te leasen zijn, filosofeert hij.

Praten met overheden

Tokyo, Singapore, New York en Hong Kong. Steden die water nu als bedreiging zien, zouden het meer als een kans moeten beschouwen. Dat geldt ook voor Miami, waar de orkaanbestendige watervilla van Nederlandse makelij ligt. Door de sponsachtige ondergrond kan Miami geen dijken kan bouwen, dus moet de stad het waterprobleem op een andere manier oplossen.

Daarom praat Olthuis veel met overheden. “We zijn eigenlijk ook een consultancybureau. We onderzoeken en ontwerpen”, zegt hij. Er zijn maar weinig architecten die zich hebben gespecialiseerd in bouwen op het water. Olthuis: “Als er wereldwijd iets moet gebeuren op gebied van bouwen op water, dan komen ze al snel bij ons.”

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A $6 million floating home that can withstand Category 4 hurricanes is now a reality. Take a look inside

By Aria Bendix
Business Insider
February.25.2019
Photo credits: Craig Denis

After years of development, the housing startup Arkup has debuted a floating home that can withstand rising sea levels and Category 4 hurricanes.
The home contains a hydraulic system that lifts it above water and anchors it during heavy winds.
Arkup envisions a future where entire communities in Miami and other major cities are designed to float.

_{Foto: Arkup Arkup’s first floating home debuted in February.}

When the housing startup Arkup revealed its plan to build a floating, hurricane-proof yacht in 2017, South Florida had just witnessed the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma, a Category 4 storm that destroyed hundreds of residences.

The company’s models were designed to weather a storm of that magnitude, but it would be another two years before they became a reality.

In February, Arkup debuted its first floating residence at a yacht show in Miami. Climatologists have pointed to the city as one of the areas most vulnerable to climate change.

The price tag for a fully furnished residence is steep – just under $6 million – but Arkup has plans to deliver smaller, more affordable units down the line. The company is accepting offers on its first model, as well as future models that have yet to be built.

For now, the yacht’s solar-powered roofs and hydraulic anchoring system come at a high cost. Its sleek designs also cater to luxury clients who often prefer to live on or near the water.

Take a look inside Arkup’s first floating home.

As a longtime Miami resident, Arkup cofounder Arnaud Luguet noticed that local authorities were struggling to prepare for the effects of climate change.

_{Foto: The units are just as mobile as a typical yacht.sourceArkup}

Luguet saw floating homes as a way to make communities more resilient. He teamed up with Nicolas Derouin, an executive who shared his passion for the ocean and renewable energy, to create Arkup in 2016.

“We wanted to provide the next generation of floating homes or house boats that would be self-sufficient, sustainable, and also mobile,” Derouin told Business Insider.

Arkup’s model was inspired by floating houseboats in the Netherlands, where it’s common to live on the water.

_{Foto: The interior was designed by the home-furnishing company Artefacto.sourceArkup}

Luguet and Derouin partnered with the Netherlands-based architecture firm Waterstudio, which specializes in designing floating homes.

Both Arkup and Waterstudio envision a future in which entireneighborhoods are built on the water in major cities such as New York and Miami.

Arkup’s first-ever model can be built on either land or water.

_{Foto: Waterstudio sees water as an asset, not a challenge, to new construction.sourceArkup}

At 4,350 square feet, the home contains a customizable layout of four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms. It’s also mobile, so it can be driven to new locations.

Hydraulic studs anchor the yacht in place so it can withstand winds of up to 155 mph.

_{Foto: The residences provide 360-degree views of the water.sourceArkup}

The wind speed of a Category 4 hurricane ranges from 130 to 156 mph.

Although the home is designed to bob with the water during a storm, Derouin said the studs help stabilize the structure to prevent motion sickness among residents.

“We wanted [residents] to be as safe and comfortable in the house as they would be on land,” he said.

The yacht’s jack-up system allows the vessel to be lifted up to 20 feet above water.

_{Foto: Derouin said storm surge poses a greater danger to homes than heavy winds.sourceArkup}

Scientists predict the US could see nearly 6 feet of sea-level rise by the end of the century under the most extreme climate conditions. Arkup’s homes would clear these water levels, Derouin told Business Insider.

Residents can disconnect from sewage lines thanks to a system that collects, stores, and purifies rainwater.

_{Foto: Residents of an Arkup home can live off-grid.sourceArkup}

The homes also have zero emissions and are powered by rooftop solar panels.

Derouin said Arkup’s next venture is to build floating communities and resorts.

_{Foto: Miami could see nearly 6 feet of sea-level rise by 2100.sourceArkup}

The company hopes to use modular construction to build multiple units on the water. Derouin said Arkup has been in talks with private-island owners about developing floating communities.

The company is also interested in creating more affordable models, such as a floating complex of student homes. Derouin said Arkup is looking into building a “ranch” of smaller yachts that are each about 1,600 square feet. By building smaller, he said, Arkup can reduce its price tag.

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Floating homes in Miami

By Maria de Juan
Neomania Magazine
Volume 38
February.22.2019

A innovating form of home has been presented at Fort Lauderdale Boat Show by architects Koen Olthuis and Arkup. The first prototype has been built on Miami River in 2018 and is expected to make a revolution in housing history.

South Florida, especially Miami and the Keys, was one of several regions that Hurricane Irma pummeled in early September last year.

The Category 4 storm brought winds of up to 70 mph, destroying hundreds of houses and knocking out electric power for 5.8 million homes and businesses in Florida.

A new type of solar-powered home could withstand future storms and rising sea levels. Created by the architect Koen Olthuis and a housing startup called Arkup, the new design caused great impact at Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in 2018.

Floating houses are completely powered by roof solar panels and have systems to collect and purify rainwater. They include systems that collect and purify rainwater for residents to use for their bathing, kitchen and plumbing needs. Each home’s layout can be customized.

These moveable homes would be able to withstand winds of up to 156 mph, classified as a Category 4 hurricane. They are designed to be buoyed so that when water levels rise during a storm, they will bob with the water.

The luxury homes, which Olthuis and Arkup call “livable yachts,” will feature hydraulic jack-up systems to anchor and stabilise them during storms and hurricanes. They are designed to lift 40 feet above the ocean to prevent flooding.

The team expects each home to cost $2 million to $3 million. Olthuis is known for designing homes on water. His innovating architecture firm, Waterstudio, has concentrated exclusively in floating buildings for over a decade.

In 2006, they created and built a similar house off the coast of De Hoef, in the Netherlands. Unlike with the livable yacht concept and other kinds of houseboats, its owner can’t drive it away.

Waterstudio also designed a floating villa, a floating hotel in Dubai and a floating wildlife habitat tower in Dianchi Lake, near Kunming, China, all completed in 2018.

Koen Olthuis is a young Dutch architect born in 1971. He studied Architecture and Industrial Design at Delft University of Technology. He is founder of the Dutch architectural firm, Waterstudio which specialises in floating structures to counter concerns of floods and rising sea levels. The firm is currently based in Rijswijk, The Netherlands.

In 2005, together with Paul Van de Camp, Olthuis co-founded another company that focuses in developing floating structures.

In 2010, together with David Keuning, Olthuis is the author of an innovating book called “Float!: Building on Water to Combat Urban Congestion and Climate Change” (Frame Publishers, 2010).

Olthuis is currently a member of the Flood Resilience Group UNESCO-IHE. The Group in Delft, focuses on establishing resilient urban water management. Often partnering with both private and public organisations, this Group takes a trans-disciplinary approach to enhance te resistance of cities to extreme weather events by incorporating urban water system planning, design and governance.

Koen Olthuis owns eight patent rights on the method for producing floating bases.

The young architect, inventor and book writer was protagonist inTIME Magazine in the article “Are they worthy?”. In 2007, Olthuis was ranked as number 122 in TIME readers’ poll as “the most influential people of the year“, with a rating of 45 out of 100 possible points. He reappeared in the same ranking on November 2011.

Livable yachts and other floating homes are the future of housing, especially in the face of climate change.

We can guess to see more floating neighbourhoods in the next 5 to 10 years. They will probably happen in Miami, New York and Tokyo.

Cities will start to see the water as an asset for the architecture of the future.

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Koen Olthuis as speaker at Batibouw Brussels

Koen Olthuis shared Waterstudio’s vision of ‘The Rise Of The Blue City’ at Batibouw Brussels.

By Batibouw
February.21.2019

Op donderdag 21 februari reikt BATIBOUW opnieuw de Belgian Building Awards uit. Tijdens een galadiner, met architect Koen Olthuis als keynote speaker, worden de winnaars bekendgemaakt van vijf architectenawards en één innovation award. De Belgian Building Awards prijzen de realisaties van architecten, bouwheren, studiebureaus en aannemingsbedrijven. BATIBOUW organiseeert dit evenement in samenwerking met redactiebureau Palindroom, de Orde van Architecten, architectura.be en magazine Ik ga Bouwen & Renoveren.

Tiny Watersuites presented on BootHolland

By Waterstudio
Photo credits: Waterstudio

The Tiny Watersuites, our new product, are presented at the Boot Holland Conference. These movable suites are unique and provide an amazing experience.

More information about the suites can be found at the website tinywatersuites.nl

Waterstudio: Le costruzioni sostenibili dell’architetto Koen Olthuis

By Spazi
2019.Feb.11

Koen Olthuis, architetto olandese considerato pioniere di quella che viene chiamata Aqua Architecture: “Costruisco esclusivamente sull’acqua”. I suoi edifici sono fatti per resistere a inondazioni e cambiamenti climatici, perché tutto ciò che Olthuis progetta può adattarsi al livello del mare. Non è un caso che il suo ufficio a Rijswijk vicino a L’Aia rechi il nome di waterstudio.nl.

Un tempo habitat naturale degli hippy in Olanda sulle loro Woonbooten o House boat, simbolo di libertà, le case galleggianti sono oggi un must riservato ai benestanti, sui canali d’Amsterdam e di Berlino come sulla Senna a Parigi o Little Venice a Londra, dove un tempo abitavano sull’acqua grandi star come Richard Branson, fondatore della Virgin.

L’idea di vivere sull’acqua non è nuova né recente, risale persino ai nostri antenati della preistoria, che si mettevano così al riparo dai predatori sulle loro zattere. Con il mare che ricopre il 75% della superficie del pianeta, non c’è da meravigliarsi del fascino che l’elemento liquido ha sempre esercitato sull’essere umano, nel corso della storia. Ma il sogno d’avventura di tanti, diventa realtà per pochi fortunati. Abitare sull’acqua costa, soprattutto su fiumi e canali delle grandi città europee.

La casa galleggiante, la cosiddetta floating home, può essere trasferita in un altro quartiere acquatico, con l’aiuto di un rimorchiatore, e quindi non può essere paragonata con le house boat motorizzate, in grado di spostarsi autonomamente. La floating home potrebbe in ogni caso essere la risposta ai cambiamenti climatici e al probabile innalzamento degli oceani. Quindi l’acqua per ripensare un territorio, un nuovo habitat? “È molto più facile costruire una casa galleggiante che una casa tradizionale bisognosa di scavi per le fondamenta” – sostiene Koen Olthuis, il giovane architetto olandese fondatore di Waterstudio, inserito da Time Magazine nell’elenco degli uomini più influenti del mondo, per il suo lavoro sull’acqua come nuovo spazio abitabile. Per la maggior parte, le case galleggianti sono, infatti, edificate su una zattera.

Olthuis è inoltre l’ideatore di The Citadel, il primo complesso residenziale d’appartamenti galleggiante in Europa, la cui costruzione è già realtà. The Citadel è il primo complesso residenziale europeo galleggiante, che sicuramente diventerà piattaforma di un nuovo stile di vita. The Citadel è un progetto che rientra nell’ambito del piano urbanistico denominato New Water, nella città di Naaldwijk.
Si tratta di un complesso residenziale di 60 lussuose unità abitative costruite su un polder, uno dei 3500 tratti olandesi di mare asciugati artificialmente attraverso dighe o sistemi di drenaggio dell’acqua. Costruiti con moduli prefabbricati all’insegna della sostenibilità, gli appartamenti galleggianti di Naaldwijk consumano il 25% in meno di energia rispetto a normali edifici.

Per limitare la manutenzione e ridurre i danni da corrosione dovuti all’acqua, le facciate sono in alluminio. L’architettura di domani sarà acquatica? Isole artificiali? Case, e città galleggianti futuriste come quelle dell’architetto belga Vincent Calleaut?

L’architettura galleggiante è una chance per riconciliare l’uomo con la natura, lasciando intatto il territorio, ed è una soluzione per il rispetto dell’ambiente, dai pannelli solari, ai sistemi di depurazione delle acque e ai trattamenti dei rifiuti. Gli architetti fanno a gara per sviluppare i loro concept, nelle forme più inaspettate e originali. Fioriscono progetti minimalisti o faraonici, sopra e sotto l’acqua.

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Koen Olthuis at 1Vandaag about sustainable floating neighborhood Schoonschip

Amsterdam pioniert met duurzaam drijvende woonwijk

Dit jaar krijgt Amsterdam de meest duurzame drijvende woonwijk van Europa met de naam ‘Schoonschip’. Bouwen op het water is volgens deskundige Koen Olthuis een uitkomst.

Koen Olthuis is architect en eigenaar van Waterstudio.nl. Voor hem is bouwen op water bijna een religie. Hij gelooft in ‘the rise of the blue city’. Tokyo, Miami, Jakarta, Olthuis reist de wereld rond om steden te voorzien van advies over bouwen op water. Zijn motto: ‘Green is good, blue is better’.

Niet vechten tegen water

Olthuis: “Met de stijgende zeespiegel is het voor sommige steden veel veiliger om te bouwen op water. Daarnaast kan het water gebruikt worden voor duurzame verkoeling en verwarming.” Olthuis wijst ook op het gebrek aan bouwgrond in Nederland. “Er moeten jaarlijks honderdduizenden woningen bijkomen om de krapte op de woningmarkt op te vangen. In de stad is op land geen ruimte meer, dan moeten we toch gebruik maken van water?”

Olthuis verbaast zich erover dat we in Nederland zoveel energie steken in het wegpompen van water, terwijl we er ook óp kunnen wonen. “Bouwen op water heeft enorm veel voordelen. Huizen op water zijn verplaatsbaar, mee te draaien met de zon, aanpasbaar aan het seizoen. We vechten in Nederland tégen het water, maar waarom maken we er niet meer gebruik van?”

We zijn een rijk land en kunnen ons wapenen, bijvoorbeeld door de bouw van nieuwe Deltawerken.

Remco de Boer – expert op het gebied van energietransitie

Milieubewuste verwarming

Remco de Boer is expert op het gebied van energietransitie. Hij zegt dat we ons in Nederland niet meteen zorgen hoeven te maken over overstroming door een stijgende zeespiegel. “We zijn een rijk land en kunnen ons wapenen, bijvoorbeeld door de bouw van nieuwe Deltawerken.”

Voor de veiligheid hoeven we wat De Boer betreft in Nederland niet uit te wijken naar bouwen op water. “Dat is natuurlijk anders in landen als Bangladesh.” De Boer ziet net zoals Olthuis wel dat water gebruikt kan worden voor een milieubewuste verwarming. Al hoeft het huis daarbij niet per se óp het water te staan.

Makkelijker vergunning krijgen

Aan enkele gezinnen die komen te wonen in de drijvende woonwijk ‘Schoonschip‘ in Amsterdam gaf Olthuis advies. Hij vindt het een prachtig project, maar heeft meteen ook wat geleerd over hoe bouwen op water beter kan in Nederland.

De locatie van de drijvende woonwijk ‘Schoonschip’

“Bouwen op water heeft drie voorwaarden. Je moet een plek hebben, de techniek in huis hebben – dat hebben we in Nederland zeker – en ook vergunningen kunnen krijgen. Wat dat laatste betreft is het in Nederland ontzettend lastig. Ik kan wel zeggen dat we daarin in Nederland zelfs achterlopen. Als we de trend van bouwen op water in Nederland een impuls willen geven moet dat echt makkelijker worden.”

Qheli: James Bond-huis tussen de kassen van het Westland

By Martijn de Meulder
Q500
March.31.2019

Photo credit: Izak van Maldegem/Skypictures, for Quote

Wekelijks vliegen we met onze Qheli boven de huizen van ‘s lands rijken. Wat komen we allemaal tegen? Vandaag een bijzonder fraaie/interessante villa waar we toevallig overheen vlogen. Verscholen tussen de eindeloze kassencomplexen van het Westland staat dit James Bond-huis.

Eigenlijk waren we met onze Qheli op weg naar het Noorden, toen we plots dit supermodernistische juweeltje onder ons zagen liggen. Even een extra rondje dus.

Want dit is op misschien wel de vreemdste plek die je je voor een villa kunt voorstellen: midden in het Westland, in Naaldwijk. Ingeklemd tussen enorme kassencomplexen heeft René van der Arend (51) daar zijn ruimtevaartschip aan de grond gezet. Of eigenlijk laten zetten, want het ontwerp van architectenbureau Waterstudio wijkt nogal af van het ‘herenhuis’ dat Van der Arend en zijn gezin aanvankelijk voor zich zagen.

De futuristische villa – New Water gedoopt – is opgetrokken uit het nieuwe bouwmateriaal Corian. Een keiharde kunststof waarmee het mogelijk is een James Bond-huis met dergelijke vloeiende lijnen neer te zetten – van nabij ziet het er net zo glad uit als hier vanuit de lucht. Van der Arend is overigens een bekende naam in het Westland, de man runt er zijn Tropical Plant Center en zou met 57 hectare de grootste Nederlandse kweker van winterharde palmen zijn.

Dat loopt blijkbaar heel lekker, want in zijn diverse ondernemingen struikelen we zonder veel moeite over krap 20 miljoen euro eigen vermogen. Dan kan zo’n villa uit Corian er natuurlijk ook wel vanaf. Het huis is in eigendom bij een van zijn vastgoed-bv’s en met een luttele 1 miljoen euro aan hypotheek opgetrokken.

Dat zit wel zo lekker, als je op zomeravonden vanuit je terrascompartiment naar de zonsondergang tuurt. Wodka Martini erbij? Shaken, not stirred. Maar dat laatste spreekt natuurlijk voor zich.

Villa New Water van René van der Arend in het Westland (foto: Izak van Maldegem/Skypictures, voor Quote)

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