Originally constructed in 1664 for Cort Siveren Adelaer, a gentleman appointed as General Admiral of Denmark, Allard Architecture was asked to re-conceptualise this listed monument on Rokin. This is an area in the historic centre of Amsterdam that has already recently experienced significant change with the implementation of the ‘rode loper’ strategy of rehabilitating the main street leading through the city centre from Centraal Station.

Despite originally being conceived and owned as a single plot, this monument has three distinctive sections that make up the plot; the voorhuis (front house), the achterhuis (back house), and the binnenplats (courtyard) in between. Being listed monuments, the front and back volumes face stiff layouts due to restrictions they are placed under.

The project is therefore centred on developing an elegant transition that connects and re-stitches the two monumental volumes together, one that takes advantage of the freedoms that can be sought in these in-between spaces. A glass box and an accompanying staircase are placed in between the two volumes, with the frames of the glass box taking reference from the skeleton of the hull of a ship.

The lower floors, as well as the glass box transition, will be converted into a tea shop, whilst the upper levels will be developed into residential apartments. Through this intensive approach into the opportunities of the in-between, the site has been returned to a unified state.