Architecture

Our own house - Amsterdam - NL

In 1949 a block of six apartments was built as housing for executives of a nearby shipyard.
The purchase of the upper apartment in the corner in 2001 led to the removal of most of the inner walls, creating a 180 degrees panorama over the neighbourhood. In 2004 the adjacent apartment was added, connected to the first by a floor-to-ceiling sliding door. This apartment - still in original condition, with a glass sliding door between living- and bedroom and lots of authentic details – has retained most of its layout. Only the combination of kitchen and small bathroom was transformed into a larger bathroom and a space for laundry and storage, while in apartment 1 this same combination was changed into a more extensive kitchen. Most rooms in the house had built-in furniture added, and in the library an old childhood dream came true: a small train track, floating above the stairs. The living area received a revolving fireplace, and since 2007 the house has access to a private roof terrace.

The 150 sqm house functions as a sort of playground for constantly trying out new ideas: it is always subject to smaller and larger changes, mostly made by our own hands.