Kepplerstraat
The character of the old wooden beams and trusses, along with the high, open spaces, formed the inspiration for this loft-like apartment in an old school building. Designed as a spectacular route, the spatial layout reveals framed views between rooms and across the roofscape of The Hague
The material palette was kept simple: concrete, Birch plywood, hot-rolled steel and Belgian bluestone. Keppler once was a school building, and the aim was to preserve the original layout with its generous open spaces. The main living areas feature high ceilings, while the former stage attic now houses all the bedrooms, tucked in between the original wooden trusses.
The old trusses have been carefully cleaned and restored, preserving their character. The building’s past as a school remains legible in the tall ceilings and windows.
A bespoke Birchwood cabinet extends across all three floors, forming the spine of the home. The route from the front door to the top floor weaves around an through it.
Clad in Valser Quartzite and waxed concrete, the bathroom takes inspiration from Peter Zumthor’s Therme Vals. The walk-in bath feels as though it has been sculpted from solid stone, while the skylight cast a theatrical play of light and shadow during a shower.
Design team
Elwin van Heyningen
