A Typical 1913 Dutch house, which is one of the few building in the area that survived a bombardment during the World War II, is situated in Bezuidenhout, a residential part of Den Haag. It is located in a densely populated yet quiet neighbourhood, close to the financial district and the forest of Haagse Bos.

The challenge here was to bring life again to the soul of the house. For many years, it had been separated into apartments, losing all of its architectural details, one after the other.

The starting point was to research like an archeologist, piecing together the history, saving or restoring architectural details, allowing  the visible scars of the house to become an intrinsic part of its new life. The house was reborn as a family home. 

The aim was to bring contemporary elements with modern comfort, while preserving the historic architectural details, Dutch layout and the owners' culture. In these typical long houses, where lights enters only from two ends, it is important to manage the openings of the various spaces. Bespoke joinery was designed to rebalance the proportions of the rooms.

A particular attention was given to the plan, allowing the space to evolve over time with the family.

Two different cultures – a Dutch with French occupants – required subtle balance to respect and fulfil the needs of both.