SHINE AND LUSTRE RESTORED

About 150 years ago this canal mansion was in excellent condition. Over time, it became a ramshackle building divided into two homes. The dome light vanished without a trace, and the natural stone façade of the garden house was sold to one of the neighbours. Our challenge was to restore the house’s former shine and lustre. Replacing the half-eroded cover of the light passageway between the front and the rear house with a magnificent glass roof created a special ambience. Combined with the glass floor strip in the passageway, the result is a playful view along the lines of vision, from the basement to the sky. The 17^th-century stucco in the hallway has been restored, as have the two 19^th-century ceiling decorations at the entrance level. We covered and renovated the staircases, partly in glass and steel and finished by designing a nice new front door to match the building style, replacing the shabby 20^th-century double front door.