The Plantsoen in Leiden is well known for the historical appearance of both the city park (1836) and the houses of the last quarter of the 19th century. The park was originally landscaped on the edge of the city in the place of an old defense belt. At the entrance of the park at the east side the monumental building Plantsoen 1 – 3 is redeveloped in a complex with 6 apartments. The apartments of about 150 m² are provided with all luxury and comfort, such as a private indoor garage, spacious roof terraces and an elevator, while retaining the historical look and value of the building. Redevelopment also applies to sustainability; obtaining Energy label A. Exterior facades, window frames and roof are additionally insulated. The houses are underfloor heated and solar panels are provided on the roof.
The municipal monument at Plantsoen 1 – 3 is divided over three floors and a basement. The property at number 1 was originally a fully detached house, number 3 was part of a block of 3 houses. Both buildings date from 1875 and were connected in 1957 and converted into one large nursing home. In this function change, the original qualities have largely been lost. The round expansion at number 1 dates from 1993.
In the new layout with 6 apartment, the monuments are restored to their former glory by restoration contractor Burgy from Leiden. The façade of the intermediate building is renewed and aligned with the monuments. The existing façade of the round building is finished with a bronze wall cladding, a ‘veil‘ with a leaf motif. This pattern is inspired by the leaf motifs and decorations of the 19th century, which can still be found in various places along the Plantsoen. The round with ‘veil’ becomes a special recognition point in the inner city.
Each apartment has both rooms in the monumental area as well as in the newer parts. The interior of the monumental buildings is provided with appropriate details to bring back the historical character as much as possible. This specific part is provided by Verlaan & Bouwstra architects from Vianen.
On the inside buyers have a lot of freedom of choice; they can choose for an even richer historical finish with wall tension, panelling and en-suite layout or a tight, modern finish and layout; both are possible. Each apartment is unique, has its own layout and its own character. Only the view is the same for all apartments; they all look out over the beautiful monumental city park the Plantsoen at the town canal.
The redevelopment was completed in July 2018.
| Architects | Ronald Knappers |
| Employees | Krijn Tabbers |
| Client(s) | restoration contractor Burgy, Leiden |
At the beginning of the Kruisweg, the housing project ‘Gemaalhuis’ marks the entrance to Hoofddorp. In collaboration with Timpaan, RROG Urban Planning and Landscape and IBB, moes have been realized in a place where offices used to dominate in the past.
The design for 83 dwellings near the center of Hoofddorp provides a transition between the village ribbon development along the Kruisweg and the large, urban scale that Hoofddorp aspires to. At the design site, the original polder structure was situated perpendicular to the direction of the rest of the Haarlemmermeer. In the design, a passage has been made here in the building block: a quiet residential court without cars and shared use of public space. The buildings are all-sided, refers to the past and seems to have been there for some time without being historicizing. The architecture is robust and stony. Rich brick details refer to the steam pumping stations that stood at the beginning of the creation of Hoofddorp. The complex is a neighbourhood in itself and has variety of housing typologies; single-family houses, veranda houses, terrace houses and apartments. The apartments are designed as freely divisible lofts.
The homes were completed in June 2020.
Home and Living Mall Ekkersrijt is located on the north of Eindhoven, directly at the highway A50. In 2013 the existing shopping mall (21.000 sq.mtrs) has been extensively renovated and expanded with 24.000 sqr.mtrs.
New look and feel
The existing building was outdated and made up of separate buildings, with closed unattractive facades and entrances, shop windows only facing the courtyard. Experience and length of stay have been central themes to the renovation and expansion. The new complex has been given a contemporary, modern feel. Old, loose components and constructions are forged into a recognizable, homogeneous unit, which is easily visible from the public road. In addition, a pleasant living environment has been created for visitors. The original stores remained open during this major redevelopment. With intensive consultation and coordination between designer, consultants, tenants and builder the inconvenience during the construction has been limited to a minimum. With this transformation the center has been made future-proof.
Renovation
Existing shops have been given new facades to meet with the requirements of present times and to become one with the extension. Besides facades also the roof has been thoroughly upgraded and installations (among others sprinkler system) have been replaced, modernized. Signing is carefully incorporated and nowhere predominant.
Extension
The new building has a distinctive façade of metal with a specifically, laser cut pattern. Recessed into the façade are the neon signs and the ramps to the parking deck. The movements of the cars on the ramps provides extra dynamism in a natural way.
On the former courtyard a freestanding oval new shop building is made. This building forms the heart of the new home and living mall and is, due to its special design, an icon to the highway and nearby. From the parking deck visitors reach the heart through walkways and they go with elevators and escalators to the open and indoor malls on the lower levels of the complex. Shops on the upper floors thereby have the same run as on the ground floor. Because of the oval building shopping at ground level has a pleasant scale with shops on both sides.
A former Mercedes showroom is rebuild to become the regional ambulance station. From here thirteen ambulances are ready to tear out in an emergency. On top of the existing showroom an new building with offices and a hightech trainingcenter is oriented at the a busy railwayline. The new part is a sturdy building with overhanging balconies which provides shade in summer and window cleaning. In the front facade, at the Vondellaan, a small ambulance museum is created.
The former university building at the Stationsweg, has been renovated and expanded into a 118-room economy hotel. It is the first franchise hotel of all 870 Ibis hotels in the world and the first Ibis hotel according to the new Ibis generation formula. The new hotel is located opposite Leiden station and is clearly visible from the railway and station.
The 60s building has a completely new facade. The horizontality of the original facade has been enhanced even more in the new facade by providing the parapets of all floors with relatively narrow bands of ceramic elements, placed in varying colors. The black frames and cladding are fitted with a deep gap in relation to the ceramic elements. This makes the colorful horizontal ceramic elements iconic. The facade is continued above the roof. The high, slightly recessed eaves provides a clear termination and also shields the installations on the roof. The plinth of the building is made of a robust stone and a lot of glass. Together with the long white stately canopy of light concrete, they form the basis for the horizontally articulated facade on the one hand and an inviting entrance to the hotel on the other. The high ground floor has been made suitable for public functions such as reception, bar, lounge and dining room, also designed by VVKH. In addition to the "Ibis identifiers", the program of requirements and the wishes of the owner, the zoning, materialization, the existing height and the characteristic concrete construction were also the starting point for the interior design.
photography: Roos Aldershoff ©
