Dreamhouse

Rotterdam’s Lijnbaan area has been enriched with the renovation of one of the monumental buildings designed by Van den Broek en Bakema in the 1950s. While maintaining the existing concrete structure, rectangular volumes have been stacked in balanced proportions and in masses similar to the original plan. They display a subtle differentiation of materials, window openings, colours and details giving a contemporary feel to the traditional post-war architectural identity of Lijnbaan. The façade of the cantilevered floor is accentuated by a series of sharp aluminium slats in front of large glass sheet windows. The building itself is simple with strong edges. When seen at an angle, views in are obstructed; viewed straight on, it is like a viewing-box with a lively interior. The three stacked volumes are characterized by glazed surfaces, flush transparency and sharp expressivity and are a contemporary interpretation of the typical 1960s angularity of the Lijnbaan area.