Space Encounters Office for Architecture

SH House is located in Bentveld, a village between Haarlem and the North Sea. The dark and compartmentalised house reflected the way that people lived in 1932, when it was built. We transformed and enlarged the house by introducing an open floor plan, a view to the garden and a triangular extension that continues the slope of the original roof. Central to the design of the project was to maintain the overall shape and integrity of the original structure while creating an open floor plan that directs views to the garden. To do so the distinction between garden and interior was almost completely eliminated, making the garden an integral part of the living space.

With the transformation of the house the internal partitions were removed, thereby dispensing the small rooms that separated functions. A new staircase was added, acting as the backbone of the house and connecting the first floor and attic to the ground level and garden. The result is a light and open contemporary interior within a characteristic 1930s shell. The extension is finished with sprayed concrete making it look and feel like a natural continuation of the vernacular roof, while the absence of details strengthens the shape.