surface: 110m² | architect: de bever architecten, Eindhoven | team: Heleen van Heel, Martijn Wilms, Roland de Lange | interieur construction: Smeulders Interieurgroep, Nuenen | used materials: glazed doors, metal stud walls, veneer furniture coating, steel kitchen
The Lichttoren from 1909 is one of the historical factories of Philips in Eindhoven. During the twentieth century, light bulbs and other products have been produced and tested in the tower on the head of the building.
However, since the movement of production facilities in the late seventies, the building became vacant in 1998. Several developers have made plans for the redevelopment of the Lichttoren. Eventually, developer Trudo has revived the Lichttoren with a mix of the functions dwelling, working and recreation. The architecture of the building combined with the specific program has resulted in metropolitan qualities, unique for a city such as Eindhoven.
Part of the 16.000m² dwelling area are a number of loft spaces that can be furbished by the buyer/dweller to own taste. The lofts have been put in the market with just a loggia and the necessary utility connections.
De Bever Architecten has made the interior design for a loft on the eastside of the Lichttoren, on the head of the building. The loft has a surface of 110m² and a height of 4,2m. A big interior element contains all service and storage space and divides the loft into an open living space with kitchen and a private bedroom with bathroom. The built-in closets have been clad in veneer wood on the outside and orange wood on the inside. The upper level of the element is dedicated as a study, in open connection with the living space. Also, a guest bedroom has been built-in here, closed of with a folding door.
The height of the loft has been utilized to a maximum by stacking functions and thus maintaining the open character of the space. The concrete construction of the building has been finished with a transparent lacquer and kept completely in sight. The interior walls have been painted white, and bright yellow at the entrance and the kitchen. A special feature of the project is the kitchen table. It measures 4 by 0,9 meters and is placed prominently between the living space and the interior element. This object has been designed by De Bever Architecten specifically for Woonhuis Eindhoven II. At the request of the client, it gets its second application in this loft. The big steel counter has been combined with cherry wood cabinets and a bright orange frame, fitting nicely into the robust character of the Lichttoren.
