The Bow Tie
Transformation of shop into a house in Nieuwendam - Amsterdam (NL)
Just around the corner of the Nieuwendammerdijk, we transformed this outdated business premises with shop owners maisonette into a four story family home, re-introducing a garden and a spacious extension.
The intervention began with demolishing the office and garage extension to open up the space for a garden. Unlike neighboring properties with lookout basements, this plot allowed for a walk-out basement, presenting a unique opportunity to create a bright and livable space where the garden and house are seamlessly connected.
The client envisioned a ‘Den,’ inspired by her experiences in the United States, which led to the proposal of a new, smaller two-level extension with large windows. This Den serves as the central hub for the family’s living spaces, connecting to the garden and providing access to a television nook and a guest bed with its own bathroom. The basement’s darkest areas house technical installations, storage, and a washing room.
The ground floor features an elevated dining area, enhancing the Den below and creating a distinct central space. The lower-level kitchen aligns with street activities and will house the ‘smallest gallery of Amsterdam Noord’ in the shop window. At the back, a final step up leads to a serene reading platform with panoramic views and a cozy spot for the evening sun. The extension is topped with a green roof and a balcony for one of the kids bedrooms.
The client envisioned a ‘Den,’ inspired by her experiences in the United States, which led to the proposal of a new, smaller two-level extension with large windows. This Den serves as the central hub for the family’s living spaces, connecting to the garden and providing access to a television nook and a guest bed with its own bathroom. The basement’s darkest areas house technical installations, storage, and a washing room.
The ground floor features an elevated dining area, enhancing the Den below and creating a distinct central space. The lower-level kitchen aligns with street activities and will house the ‘smallest gallery of Amsterdam Noord’ in the shop window. At the back, a final step up leads to a serene reading platform with panoramic views and a cozy spot for the evening sun. The extension is topped with a green roof and a balcony for one of the kids bedrooms.
But why the bow tie? The new garden facade is divided into four planes and is a knot of functional and contextual elements. The plot has an odd kink, pushing the extension inward at an angle. To address this, we slightly extended the ground floor plane to provide a better view of the Nieuwendammerdijk and harbour. Similarly, on the garden level, we pushed the entrance plane inward at the same angle, creating a canopy as you enter the house. This resulted in the shape of a bow tie, a term that our clients happily adopted to describe their house. Even the skylight follows these angled lines, giving the void its spatial, playful character, tying together the garden and house in a three-dimensional knot.
We introduced large frameless glass panes to frame the stunning views of the surrounding. On the outside, these glass panes are completely flush with the wooden slats, enhancing the articulation of the bow tie. This meticulous detailing creates a harmonious contrast with the brick and wood textures, distinguishing this as a modern addition. During the day, the glass panes reflect the surrounding greenery and sky, while at night, the colorful interior becomes visible.
As a schooled graphic designer, the client had a preferred color palette for the house: hard blue, light blue, red, and pale yellow. The red and blue are also featured in the existing stained glass of the transom windows above the shop window. We used the concept of ‘confetti' to show them how to implement colour in the interior. The white walls and grey floors serve as a blank canvas to sprinkle on the colorful furniture pieces, like the red kitchen cabinets or the yellow sliding/folding door.
We introduced large frameless glass panes to frame the stunning views of the surrounding. On the outside, these glass panes are completely flush with the wooden slats, enhancing the articulation of the bow tie. This meticulous detailing creates a harmonious contrast with the brick and wood textures, distinguishing this as a modern addition. During the day, the glass panes reflect the surrounding greenery and sky, while at night, the colorful interior becomes visible.
As a schooled graphic designer, the client had a preferred color palette for the house: hard blue, light blue, red, and pale yellow. The red and blue are also featured in the existing stained glass of the transom windows above the shop window. We used the concept of ‘confetti' to show them how to implement colour in the interior. The white walls and grey floors serve as a blank canvas to sprinkle on the colorful furniture pieces, like the red kitchen cabinets or the yellow sliding/folding door.
Photographer Jordi Huisman
Structural engineer De Ingenieursgroep
Sustainability Groene Den
Contractor Gewoon Goed Bouw
Furniture Martin&Co/Rooos Design/STORY
Steel balustrades Willem van Kelle
Garden design Studio Berk
Structural engineer De Ingenieursgroep
Sustainability Groene Den
Contractor Gewoon Goed Bouw
Furniture Martin&Co/Rooos Design/STORY
Steel balustrades Willem van Kelle
Garden design Studio Berk
