Serge Schoemaker Architects enhanced the connection between indoor and outdoor areas in the L-shaped extension of a 1950s house in Amsterdam, increasing living space and natural light. Originally planned as a small backyard extension, the project evolved into a full transformation of the ground floor.
Situated just outside the Amsterdam ring road, the terraced house was built in 1959 and had a typical backyard with a small shed a few meters away from the rear facade. The shed’s floor area was integrated into the design of the L-shaped extension.
The new glass facade of the extension extends across three sides, blurring the lines between inside and outside. This effect is amplified by the open interior corner formed when the sliding doors are opened, connecting the interior to the terrace. The addition of new floor tiles on the terrace further strengthens this relationship.
The decision to move the kitchen to the extension provided more space for the clients’ passion for cooking. The kitchen was placed along the long side of the extension, with a seven-meter-long kitchen unit enhancing the sense of spaciousness. The wall above the countertop was finished with a handcrafted, waterproof lime plaster.
A large skylight in the extension floods the living kitchen with natural light, while wooden slats filter the sunlight. This modest material concept was extended throughout the ground floor during the renovation, creating a sophisticated interplay of lines. The combination of carefully selected materials and the L-shaped extension gives the residents a sense of being in a completely new urban setting post-renovation.