schuur & woning | J.O.N.G.architecten

The current owner bought the farm in 2009 from the last farmer and selected the architect in the same year. In the design process we added several advisors to our team: an interior designer, a landscape designer and building physics consultant. The farm, built in 1825, is beautifully situated just outside the town. Farms as such consist of a living space for the farmer and his family, stables and storage for the cows and farmer products like milk and butter, under one big roof. The “front house” (former living area of the farmer family) has been completely restored and converted into two apartments to be used separately. Modern comfort is added in the old beds in cupboards (bedstede): a small pantry and a bathroom. The former " Milk basement" is reinstated by removing a false floor, one "hatch window" has been reconstructed. To take advantage of the magnificent view a new window was added in the side of the house too. In the old barn, where the cow stables were and the storage of machines and food for the cows, a new apartment is constructed. The program is organized by modern white volumes in contrast with the old barn. Nowhere they touch the wood beam structure, nor the roof More daylight and views are realized by a new facade of perforated aluminium panels, all of which are movable. This material does replace the (none original) brick wall with concrete windows from the ‘70s. In the upper part a hole is spared from the large barn roof. Through the floor of this room on both sides daylight comes into the barn. The new interior is kept neutral. Wall, floor and ceiling are intermediate between the view of the countryside, the barn and the decoration of the interior. The volumes are white inside and colored separately thus refer to the classical “bedstede”. The change in function of the farm has also been reflected in the yard. Along the water is a new room with boathouse made ​​with an attached porch adjoining terrace right on the water. The main objective was to convert a barn for livestock to a residence building for enjoyment of the barn and scenery. The architectural concept is aimed to achieve a contrast between old and new. The program consists of two smaller bed and breakfast apartments that can accommodate two people each. The preparation of a meal itself is not possible here. In addition in the barn a much larger apartment ​​is made, that can accommodate families of up to ten people. It is also suitable for external workshops and sessions for companies. In addition to the main rooms and five bedrooms, therefore a “boardroom” is equipped for workshops and conferences. The yard is now a residential garden but also a vegetable garden. Meals can be cooked with home -grown crops and herbs. Next to the new boathouse is a terrace at the waterfront. The use of the converted farmhouse has only just started since the summer of 2013. Therefore no information is yet available concerning energy use. The existing structure of the barn has been left untouched. Thus, the use of the barn is guaranteed in the future for other purposes.