A former German military barracks site from World War II, located north of Arnhem, has been transformed into a “cultural enclave” on the Veluwe: a place where people live, creative professionals work, and visitors can spend their holidays. The rather obscure and fragmented forest zone north of Arnhem meant that the city had little connection with De Hoge Veluwe National Park. In 2008, Harro de Jong and Hans Jungerius conceived the idea of turning the former barracks sites north of Arnhem into a cultural enclave—a stepping stone between the green and creative city of Arnhem and the adjacent De Hoge Veluwe National Park, home to the world-famous Kröller-Müller Museum.

In addition to reconnecting Arnhem with the Veluwe, Buitenplaats Koningsweg also reveals the remarkable military history of this area.

Nature has been draped over the site like a blanket, with new and transformed buildings set on plinths, appearing as cabins resting in the heathland. The hardened, built-up site, which had been taken over by the Ministry of Defence since World War II, has now been reintegrated into the surrounding Veluwe landscape. The landscape is shared collectively; living here feels as if you are permanently on holiday. Eleven architecturally high-quality recreational homes form the 21st-century layer added to the estate as a permanent cultural exhibition, within the World War II theme of “camouflage.”

To unite more and more areas of the Veluwe all fences at Koningsweg are deleted, nature can roam around freely and enjoyed by everybody.

The barracks sites were part of “Fliegerhorst Deelen,” the German World War II airbase with numerous accommodation buildings, barracks, and hangars. To deceive the Allies, these were disguised as a rural landscape with small farming villages. Many of the military buildings, often listed as national monuments, have been converted into studios and homes, with new interventions and new buildings clearly distinguished by their prescribed dark grey colour.

A substantial amount of poor-quality 1980s architecture and extensive paving has made way for Veluwe nature. Within this landscape, eleven “follies” have been added through a design competition: architecturally refined, nature-inclusive recreational homes within the theme of “camouflage.” They surprise and intrigue, fooling both people and animals while blending remarkably well into the new Veluwe landscape. They form the 21st-century layer that has been added to the estate as a permanent cultural exhibition. Because the follies are also (compulsorily) rented out, everyone can discover this site and its beautiful, strange surroundings and history.

Most of the fences around the site have been removed, making the Veluwe slightly less fragmented and allowing this special area to be discovered by an ever-growing number of people and animals.