In Amsterdam’s Hugo de Groot quarter, two stacked dwellings built in the early 1900s presented a rare opportunity to create a single two-level home within the city. Jeroen Spee, architect and cofounder of Studio Prototype, took advantage of the arrangement to perform a renovation that captures light and optimizes outdoor space.

More specifically, Jeroen created a layout inspired by the “ancient principle of a front and back house,” he says, like that of a Roman domus. At the home’s core is a stair finished with dark wood, while at either end are bright biophilic spaces: To the rear, on the ground level, a peristyle-esque extension features a dining area that opens to a garden; to the front, both levels include light-filled living areas. Where the windows look out onto the street, a gap was left at the wall in order to connect the upper and lower levels, creating a sense of openness and bringing in yet more light.

Back on the ground level, the rear extension features bifold windows set over a two-sided bench; when the windows are open, the bench serves both the dining area and the garden, creating an indoor/outdoor gathering space. “It’s the best spot in the house,” says Jeroen. “It brings in greenery and gives the children a place to play.” On top of the extension is a terrace with an herb garden that provides the family with additional outdoor lounge space.

The add-on at the rear is articulated by three functional brick columns, another reference to a domus. The brick flows into the interiors, mixing with a palette of light wood, terrazzo, concrete, and pastel accents. “I was inspired by the use of color in combination with tactile and tangible layering,” says Jeroen. The materials are complemented by furniture from the ’50s and ’60s, including original-condition pieces by Niels Otto Møller and Arne Vodder.

Related Reading:

A Cramped Amsterdam Apartment Is Transformed Into an Airy Loft

Before & After: An Architect Couple in Amsterdam Turn a Garage Into a Gauzy, Light-Filled Home

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Studio Prototype / @studioprototypenl

Builder: WAM Groep

Photography: Robertino Nikolic / @robertino_n

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In Amsterdam, Where Homes Stand Cheek by Jowl, an Architect’s Renovation Finds the Light