Alexander Boersstraat
Amsterdam
The apartment on Alexander Boersstraat in Amsterdam is situated between the Museumplein and the PC Hooftstraat. The building is a listed national monument dating from around 1900, with architectural features including high ceilings, deep-set windows and a stately facade, overlooking the Conservatorium Hotel. That monumental character is what makes the building special, while at the same time setting strict conditions for the renovation.
The building had received virtually no maintenance in sixty years and had fallen into poor condition. A thorough renovation was essential. The layout, too, was no longer functional. The kitchen was located in the basement with little natural light, while the finest rooms in the apartment, with an open view of the Conservatorium Hotel, were being used as bedrooms. As a listed monument, the load-bearing interior walls could not be moved. The solution lay in smartly redistributing the functions of each space. The bedrooms were relocated to the basement, where the kitchen had previously been. This freed up the first floor for the living and kitchen areas, where light and space are at their best.
''How can an optimal spatial layout be realized while respecting the building’s historic character and protected status?''
The new layout brings the apartment in line with the comfort of contemporary living. At its heart is a fully custom-designed kitchen in dark stained oak, with sculptural marble worktops and a freestanding island as its centrepiece. The original fireplace, a defining feature of the room, was preserved and gives the kitchen its character. The living room looks out over the Conservatorium Hotel and has a calm, considered atmosphere, reinforced by restored wall panelling and mouldings. Every bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom. The custom cabinetry in light oak runs floor to ceiling, with the panelling continuing seamlessly into the headboard, so that furniture and architecture become one.
At the same time, the building has been fully upgraded for sustainability: floor insulation, interior cavity walls, underfloor heating and new installations throughout. Historical details that had been lost over the years, including the ornate ceiling rose, wall panelling and mouldings, have been carefully restored, bringing back the monumental quality the building deserves.
The result is a high-end family home that lives up to the prestige of its location. By working within the constraints of the listed monument, an interior was created that is both contemporary and timeless, renovated from the ground up with attention to detail at every level
Alexander Boersstraat
Amsterdam
The apartment on Alexander Boersstraat in Amsterdam is situated between the Museumplein and the PC Hooftstraat. The building is a listed national monument dating from around 1900, with architectural features including high ceilings, deep-set windows and a stately facade, overlooking the Conservatorium Hotel. That monumental character is what makes the building special, while at the same time setting strict conditions for the renovation.
The building had received virtually no maintenance in sixty years and had fallen into poor condition. A thorough renovation was essential. The layout, too, was no longer functional. The kitchen was located in the basement with little natural light, while the finest rooms in the apartment, with an open view of the Conservatorium Hotel, were being used as bedrooms. As a listed monument, the load-bearing interior walls could not be moved. The solution lay in smartly redistributing the functions of each space. The bedrooms were relocated to the basement, where the kitchen had previously been. This freed up the first floor for the living and kitchen areas, where light and space are at their best.
''How can an optimal spatial layout be realized while respecting the building’s historic character and protected status?''
The new layout brings the apartment in line with the comfort of contemporary living. At its heart is a fully custom-designed kitchen in dark stained oak, with sculptural marble worktops and a freestanding island as its centrepiece. The original fireplace, a defining feature of the room, was preserved and gives the kitchen its character. The living room looks out over the Conservatorium Hotel and has a calm, considered atmosphere, reinforced by restored wall panelling and mouldings. Every bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom. The custom cabinetry in light oak runs floor to ceiling, with the panelling continuing seamlessly into the headboard, so that furniture and architecture become one.
At the same time, the building has been fully upgraded for sustainability: floor insulation, interior cavity walls, underfloor heating and new installations throughout. Historical details that had been lost over the years, including the ornate ceiling rose, wall panelling and mouldings, have been carefully restored, bringing back the monumental quality the building deserves.
The result is a high-end family home that lives up to the prestige of its location. By working within the constraints of the listed monument, an interior was created that is both contemporary and timeless, renovated from the ground up with attention to detail at every level
