location:IJsselstein year: 2016 size: 216 m2 function: renovation and extension house client: private
The aim of the client is to achieve a contemporary home that is developed from the existing house and seamlessly integrates into the historical context. The prominent place in the city requires a high demand of attention.
We proposed to make the desired expansion at basement level so the existing house on street level remains the same in terms of size. In the new situation you enter the house into an open kitchen where you can look right into the ridge of the roof. A mezzanine provides space for a children’s playground, workplace or room for a logee. The kitchen is adjacent on both the south- and the westside to the new terraces. These are situated perfectly right under the sun and a beautiful view can be enjoyed over the garden, city wall and Monastery garden. In the basement, the existing house is extended to the rear. In order to make this functionally possible, the suspended floor is lifted almost a meter so full floor height is created in the basement. On the side of the expansion a patio area is kept free of the existing house. One of the walls of the patio is the historic medieval city wall. The bedrooms are recessed, making it possible to access the roof of the extension from the Walkade. Daylight for the bedrooms comes through existing wall openings, or through the new patio.
It was decided to maintain the existing outline of the roof. To get a more abstract form and get rid of its small size, the eaves and gutters were taken down. In the original house the gutter gave an introduction to the mansard cap. In the new situation the roof surface is vertically extended the ridge of the roof and the height of the window frames. In this way there is a better relationship between facade and roof. In a natural way the new form of the roof in combination with the existing wall openings create completely new facade. Where there are lovely views of where it’s programmatically required windows will be enlarged.
