![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_hero1-852x479.jpg)
Chris Collaris Architects completes black wooden cottage with exaggerated roof
Dutch architect Chris Collaris has built a house in Amsterdam that is clad entirely in blackened timber, featuring an asymmetric gabled roof that extends out to form a sheltered entrance.
![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_2364_col_18-852x1278.jpg)
House MM is situated in the former industrial area of Amsterdam Noord, on a site that was previously occupied by an "old and decayed" brick house with a cramped interior.
Tasked to work with the same 60-square-metre footprint, Chris Collaris Architects designed a cottage that aims to make the most of its interior, to create a more spacious feel for its occupants.
![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_2364_col_4-852x568.jpg)
The studio managed to incorporated three levels into what looks like a two-storey structure, by slotting a mezzanine in beneath the steeply pitched roof.
This roof extends outwards on either side of the building, with an exaggerated cantilever on one side sheltering a path that leads to the main entrance.
![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_2364_col_6-852x1278.jpg)
"The roof lines were bound to restricted heights," the architect explained. "By cantilevering the lower parts outside the main building volume, the upper level of the house increases, resulting in a house with a high ceiling on every floor level and an extra attic."
![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_2364_col_5-852x568.jpg)
Materials and methods more commonly applied to factory construction were adapted to create a highly efficient house that employs passive-building concepts.
A steel framework supports sandwich panels filled with high-density insulation that form the facades and roof. The panels are finished with black pinewood cladding treated with a protective wax coating.
![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_2364_col_1-852x1278.jpg)
The only interruptions to the vertical timber cladding are made by windows, featuring minimal black frames that are double sealed to ensure optimal thermal efficiency.
A large picture window projects from the front facade, containing a window seat looking out the garden. There is also a dormer window that cuts through the roof cladding, allowing light down into the bathroom.
![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_2364_col_13-852x1278.jpg)
The homogenous treatment of the external surfaces results in a clean-lined volume, with details such as small gutters incorporated into the roof edges accentuating the minimal aesthetic.
![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_2364_col_21-852x1278.jpg)
Internally, the ground floor is separated into different zones by a central core clad in bricks reclaimed from the interior of the original house.
The brick-clad element contains built-in shelving, a closet and a toilet, with the staircase leading to the upper floors slotted in on one side.
![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_2364_col_19-852x1278.jpg)
A lounge space next to the entrance connects with a galley kitchen that leads towards the dining area at the rear of the house.
Kitchen storage is built into plywood units beneath the staircase, and a void next to the stairs allows light entering through a roof light high above to filter down through the house.
![Dutch architect Chris Collaris has completed a house in Amsterdam clad entirely in blackened timber and featuring an asymmetric gabled roof.](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2017/10/house-mm-chris-collaris-architects-amsterdam-architecture_dezeen_2364_col_7-852x1278.jpg)
The dining space is lined with full-height glazing, including a sliding door that opens onto a terrace looking out across the rear garden.
Chris Collaris previously collaborated with architect Paul de Ruiter to transform a former private museum in Rotterdam into an energy-neutral townhouse with an entirely remodelled rear facade.
Photography is by Tim Van de Velde.