Plastic Number house extension

After they graduated from the TU Delft, Jager Janssen architects got the chance to modernise a dwelling. The dwelling, strongly partitioned, dates back to the sixties and was used as a rectory. Neglecting a backyard is common to that era.

The opportunity to improve both shortcomings arose. Existing openings in the façade were extended down to ground level in order to give access to the garden. Subsequently, a second volume was carefully determined and joined to the house.

On the garden side, the new building volume is fully transparent and offers an optimal connection to the outdoor space. The resulting light conservatory connecting to the corridor provides facilities within the former outer façade of the original dwelling. This element is nearly completely stripped. Bathroom and kitchen facilities are located in three volumes. The iconic blocks distinguish themselves through a covering of loam stucco and determine the interior organisation of the renovated dwelling.

The nature of the assignment
Constituents Jaap and Ineke wished to modernise their 60’s dwelling. The existent plan was divided in several small compartments and the relation with the exquisite backyard was far from optimised. The challenge was to improve the spatial experience and involve the garden with the living space as much as possible. Program of requirements
The house was outdated. Having several shortcomings, it had to be modernised entirely. We aimed for a sturdy, robust and minimal look, using natural materials. To tackle the fragmented nature of the ground floor, Jaap and Ineke wished to open up the space, in order to create a more spatial experience. In addition, a firm link between living space and the garden was to be established. A new kitchen and bathroom, a fireplace and sufficient cupboard space had to be integrated in the new plan. Modus operandi
To harbour all the new functions, making an extension was the obvious choice. The extension is designed using the plastic number.
This system consists of a number of associated sequences, enabling several magnitudes to be related to each other. Starting point for the base sequence is the smallest size of the spaces, the floor height [2600 mm]. The smaller and larger measurements can be derived from this number. The extension and transition to the existing dwelling are proportioned according to the base sequence. The interior is designed according to a sequence of a smaller magnitude. Hence, a ultimate coherent body is created.