Private Residence Jisp

The owners of this century-old Dutch farmhouse asked SeARCH to take the dilapidated farm structure and turn it into a home for modern country living. SeARCH designed the new house to be an expanded, bolder, present-day version of its old self.

‘Glass bell’ farmhouse

“The house is a traditional ‘stolp’ or ‘glass bell’ farmhouse, named after its distinct shape”, says project architect Tjerk Boom. “The owners wanted to retain that shape, including the lay-out of the rooms, but with a bigger living space, spacious master bedroom and studio. In close cooperation with them we decided to lift all four sides of the roof to a less-steep angle and then move the walls further out. Finally, we added an ultra-modern extension at the back and to one side of the house, characterized by huge glass panels and a concrete floor.”

Old/new contrast

The contrast between old and new is used to maximum effect, explains Boom: “When you enter the house at the front, it’s very cosy and traditional, with lots of wood, low ceilings and small windows. Then the house fully opens up at the back, where the living room and kitchen are. Thanks to the 4.5 meter long glass panels, these areas are light and airy with stunning views of the surrounding polders.”

0.18 meters

Boom is particularly pleased with the way the wood floors and panelling in the old house worked out. “We designed every space and every opening using 18 centimeters – plank size – as our base unit, looking to create a perfect rhythm and interplay of lines. That’s easy enough on the drawing board, but very difficult to get right in practice. The dimensional stability of the Hakwood planks and the craftsmanship of the installers played a vital part in getting it just right.”