Monumental renovation with a modern twist

Much respect for rich history

A sustainable renovation, with attention and respect for the monumental value. At Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 8-10 in Amsterdam, Heyligers architects has given the former premises of the Fotovakschool dating from 1881 a new use as offices with monumental character. The architectural firm's design is characterized by rich light, beautiful vistas and interesting lines, as well as the perfect symbiosis between old and new. The pivot doors with FritsJurgens hinges are an excellent example of this and naturally blend into the original wooden paneling.

Heyligers architects became involved in the project when the strip demolition of the building was already largely complete, says Marleen Valstar, project architect and partner at Heyligers architects. The architecture, interior architecture and project management firm started its design task with the fire-resistant facades and the incorporation of a common core with stairwell and glass elevator. 

"We knew pretty early on that we wanted to install a sheet steel staircase," Valstar said. "Giving the platform a kink halfway up creates a special shape. A position left of center also provides nice sight lines toward the basement." 

To make the balustrade more distinctive, vertical balusters were chosen. "Because these balusters alternately extend into the stair stringer, a special compartmentalization is created that is also reflected in the steel facades and in the new bay window, which overlooks the roof terrace and stands out because of its beautiful, round glass corners." 

The stairwell ceilings are finished with carpentry. Skylights and skylights were also added in several places to allow daylight to flow far inside. An engaging combination of long LED light lines and LED spotlights was chosen for the lighting.

Respect for rich history

In the new situation, the office features a stately entrance with lots of glass. "From here, employees and visitors can descend five steps to the basement or go up to one of the three office floors," Valstar said. Heyligers architects' mission was primarily to upgrade these floors in atmosphere and function. But especially also to respect the monumental parts of these floors and/or make them visible again to its users. As an example, Valstar mentions the structural arched ceilings in the basement and on the second floor, whose masonry has been carefully touched up. 

"In other positions, the rooms have been given coffered ceilings, which emphasize the monumental character of the building while concealing the installations. To give the building the right (human) size and scale, lead profiles were used in the skylights of the windows on the second floor. This creates a beautiful relationship with the stained glass on the floor above."

Nice door solution

Another characteristic element are the period rooms on the second-floor facade, which were still largely intact, Valstar says. "Characteristic here, for example, was the monumental wooden paneling, behind which monumental doors stylishly slide away. Of course we left this paneling intact, but unfortunately not all the doors turned out to be preserved. This left us with a large hole in the wall. How could we find a beautiful solution for this, which would also honor the original design? And how could we hang the large doors of approximately 2.80 x 1.00 meters (hxw) as beautifully as possible? The answer was found in large pivot doors, in combination with FritsJurgens' pivot hinges. ➞

Modern solution in a classic building

The pivoting doors have wood on the inside, in the same color and detailing as the monumental wood paneling. "On the outside we hook up to the wall panels of the office space, creating a very surprising whole, again with a lot of respect for the rich history." According to Valstar, a major advantage of the FritsJurgens pivot hinges is their minimalist design. "You don't have ugly floor pots in sight. The image of the wall finish continues very nicely and when the doors are closed, you cannot see anywhere that they are pivot doors. This creates a nice element of surprise. Design and functionality come together very nicely here."

Softclose function

"What Valstar also finds very quality-enhancing is the soft-close function of the pivot hinges. "Thanks to adjustable closing damping (soft close) and hydraulic opening damping, a very elegant door movement is ensured. A recessed depth of only 8 mm also allowed the system to be installed excellently in combination with underfloor heating."

Comfortable walk-through, spacious feeling

With FritsJurgens' pivot systems, pivot doors can even be opened beyond 180°, says Jeroen Iemhoff, project manager at FritsJurgens. "This ensures comfortable passage and a feeling of spaciousness. For mounting, only a floor and ceiling plate of 40 x 80 mm need to be attached. Where the ceiling plate is fastened with regular screws, for the floor plate, two 8-mm holes are sufficient." FritsJurgens' maintenance-free pivot hinge is already integrated into the pivot door at the door manufacturer's factory.  

SHEET OF PROJECT

Architect: Heyligers architects

Interior designer: Derk

Tate systems: FritsJurgens