Holiday home Cocondo

The Vineta Duin nature reserve near Rot­terdam and The Hague not only hides idyllic flora and fauna, but also a his­to­rical legacy in the windswept nature of the endless beaches. Hidden beneath the grass of the extensive dune land­scape are around 60 bunkers from the Atlantic Wall, which were built during the Second World War. As part of a pilot project on the out­skirts of Hoek van Holland, an old German tele­phone bunker from 1943 has been con­verted into a holiday home in order to put the now dila­pi­dated defensive struc­tures, which have been exposed to the ele­ments and van­dalism, to good use for a peaceful future and the pre­ser­vation of the coast.

Cocondo demons­trates a subtle alter­native to the mostly bold tourism con­s­truction on the coast, pre­serving the his­to­rical heritage of the region, telling the story of its land­scape and helping to protect the sur­rounding nature. To minimise the eco­lo­gical foot­print of the building, mainly cir­cular building mate­rials were used and the sur­rounding dunes were res­tored. In addition, all pro­ceeds from the rental go back into the con­ser­vation of the area.

While this bunker pro­vided a repla­cement home for a mother and her two children for over ten years after the libe­ration of the Net­her­lands, the com­pletely reno­vated and rede­signed holiday house can now accom­modate a total of four people. In addition to the rein­forced con­crete tele­phone switch­board, the ori­ginal building is made of brickwork and has a 3.2 metre high vaulted ceiling and large windows that give the rooms a bright, light atmo­sphere. Today, the kitchen, dining room and living room are located here. One of the windows has been trans­formed into a sleeping alcove bathed in a warm red colour with a box bed.

A com­for­table bathroom has been created where once the hallway was, with a heavy metal door remi­niscent of times gone by leading into the former tele­phone control centre, which now func­tions as a sub­ter­ranean master bedroom bathed in soft blue. An unusual change of per­spective that con­tinues on the small terrace in front of the house, which invites you to sit on deck­chairs and observe the diverse wildlife.

In addition to the his­toric archi­tecture, a photo of the former occupant and her daughters and a narrow run-through strip of old graffiti patina tell of the ever-changing history of the bunker over time.

What to do

The large dune area invites you to take long walks along the beach, including a variety of cycling and hiking trails, swimming and bathing on the beaches, various opportunities for surfing, kiting and sailing, historical sights such as the Fort aan den Hoek van Holland, the old lighthouse or the storm surge barrier, on the trail of military history in the Atlantikwall Museum or the Bunker Bremen, regional cuisine in the fish restaurants and markets around the harbour or excursions to Rotterdam and The Hague

Why we like this house

Cocondo is an unusual holiday home in a sensitive location that raises awareness of the past and stands for a peaceful, sustainable future.

This house is great for

Couples and families, nature lovers and travellers interested in history

Sustainability

Circular construction materials and supplies, e-charging station approx. 300 metres away, public transport: by metro from Rotterdam

Owner

Photographer Peter de Krom is co-founder of Cocondo and project manager at Stichting Stelling 33, which uses innovative concepts relating to design, ecology and sustainability to preserve the Dutch coastal landscape and tell its story in a meaningful and contemporary way.

Details

Availability calendar

The calendar shows the current availability of the accommodation. On days with white background the accommodation is still available. On days with dark gray background the accommodation is not available.

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