Heritage requirements combine with the new logics of tourism in this tiny medieval house. On an incredibly narrow L-shaped plot in the centre of Antwerp, dmvA designed a ‘one room hotel’ for a private investor. The three floors of the sixteenth-century house are connected spatially by means of stairs and voids. These spatial links are reinforced by the creation of a bright atmosphere with a white-washed interior space. Mirrors enlarge the narrow spaces and offer unexpected views. The generous amount of circulation space results in an architectural parcours that leads up to two tiny roof terraces overlooking the city.
- Louis De Mey
This project is part of the exhibition Composite Presence in the Belgian pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.
dmvA: "In the city centre of Antwerp, dmvA transformed a small corner house of the sixteenth-century into a One Room Hotel. A seemingly endless staircase leads the hotel guests through the open sleeping and living space to a viewpoint over the city. The friction between past and present is explored in this project by changing its function. The former historic house has an impact on its urban environment again and is sustainable for the future."