Modern dwelling in a narrow alley

Surrounded by historic buildings in the oldest part of Amsterdam is a narrow, closed alleyway. A modern house has been built here, making use of, among other things, the old beams of the eighteenth-century building that used to stand on the site.

The house is enclosed on three sides, but it is completely open at the front. A stairway leads from the entrance along the front elevation to the living room on the first floor, which has a large window on the alleyway. In other areas of the house, too, there is optimal daylighting. For example, a void allows light right into the heart of the building and into the rooms at the rear. From the studio on the top floor, there is a spectacular view of the church Oude Kerk. (ARCAM/Bu)