A former farm on the outskirts of The Hague in the Netherlands called ‘de Os’ (the Ox), that was transformed to have a residential function a few decades ago, has been completely renovated.
The low ceiling height on the main floor and the small windows caused a challenge to bring as much light in as possible. Also the spatial qualities of the building were to be improved by uniting some of the living areas and by centrally positioning the staircase, therefore creating a direct link between the two floors.
On the ground floor a large living room around the centrally positioned staircase and the existing fireplace is only divided from the secondary spaces, such as the kitchen and the entrance, by glass doors in a metal frame, further adding to the unifying of the floor. The existing wooden framework was sandblasted and accentuated by whitewashing all the other elements and with the addition of a new light grey polyurethane floor. A new window enhances the relationship with the external landscape.
Upstairs are the sleeping quarters, also around a large open space where the wooden beams are emphasized similarly. Here the staircase can be closed by using a hydraulic mechanism, seamlessly closing the floor and seperating the two floors, functionally or for acoustic and thermal reasons. A new bay window provides from this floor as well, the unobstructed view towards the open natural landscape outside The Hague.
