Our clients purchased this monumental residence with the idea of making it suitable for dual occupancy. Given the difficulty in finding student accommodation in Utrecht, they wanted to convert a part of the house for their two maturing children who would eventually go to university and could then continue to live there, similar to a student house.
The monumental residence in Buiten-Wittevrouwen, Utrecht, was originally designed symmetrically with the adjacent building. The original garden behind the house was fully built upon before the renovation, serving as a garage. The previous design had minimal daylight access and no outdoor space. The goal of the renovation was to transform the ground floor into a bright and spacious living area with outdoor space.
To achieve this, the volume behind the house was demolished to give room to a new structure, diagonally placed behind the residence to allow daylight into the original living area. Two triangular patios were created, designed as (outdoor) rooms and furnished according to a fitting garden design by Erik Funneman.
With the abundance of glass and large sliding doors on both sides of the extension, the distinction between indoor and outdoor spaces becomes blurry. In the summer, it feels like you're sitting in the extension under a canopy that remains cool. The front facade on the ground floor has been restored to its original state, as a garage door previously marred the symmetry with the adjacent building.
On the roof of the extension, a rooftop terrace and green roof were installed, adjacent to the living space on the first floor. The client chose the wallpaper in the living space, which is a reference to the construction process—a photorealistic wall with peeling wallpaper and the pink line of the so-called 'meter level.'
Team:
Architect: MN Architecten
Photography: Filippo Rossi
