LKSVDD: god's loft story in haarlo

first image
'God's loft story' by LKSVDD, haarlo, the netherlands
image © vincent van den hoven
all images courtesy of LKSVDD

amsterdam-based practice LKSVDD has given a former dutch reformed evangelism building a new life as 'God's loft story', a residential loft in haarlo,
the netherlands. dating from 1928, the masonry structure and bell tower were renovated to stand as a monument. wooden lost sheep are scattered
within the garden, a first hint to the humor found around and inside the home. extending from the church building, a 40 foot shipping container
and fence buffers a side yard from the street. the once monastic garden now grows vegetables, herbs, flowers and an orchard with views to the exterior
of the historic nave. left-over bricks are reused as planters. glorified details including the wooden roof, stained glass arch windows and original panel doors. 

the goal of the interior was to generate an efficient plan with limited resources by stripping away the elements to create a clean yet playful environment.
filling the 1,100 cubic meter volume with as few rooms as possible to retain the spaciousness. a freestanding mass surfaced with wooden planks acts as a divider
between the kitchen and the combined dining and living area. a burst of color in the form of red stairs are found rising through its center, leading to its nickname
as the 'stairway to have fun'. the culmination of the stair is a mezzanine which contain a relaxation room with a bedroom, bed and sofa with views to the
ground level living spaces. the bold red hue becomes an accent throughout the dwelling.

other playful elements include the a 'swinging sister' swing within the office, 'gateway to heaven' flanked by a wall of guardian angels, 'holy shit' toilet
and birdhouses for the birds which have seen the light and lost sheep.

view of lost sheep within the front garden
image © vincent van den hoven

(left) aerial view of the church front
(right) shipping container buffers side yard from the street
images © vincent van den hoven

the shipping container buffers the once monastic garden from the street
image © vincent van den hoven

outdoor rooms within a shipping container
image © vincent van den hoven

side yard
image © vincent van den hoven

(left) church panel door entrance (right) wall of guardian angels
image © vincent van den hoven

dining + living room
image © vincent van den hoven

kitchen separated with the 'stairway to heaven'
image © vincent van den hoven

kitchen elements embedded into the wooden mass
image © vincent van den hoven

office + 'swinging sister' swing
image © vincent van den hoven

office
image © vincent van den hoven

office
image © vincent van den hoven

aerial view of spacious living space
image © vincent van den hoven

(left) aerial view of interior living space and mezzanine 
(right) aerial view of entrance and 'stairway to heaven'
images © vincent van den hoven

(left) bed
(right) view from mezzanine
images © vincent van den hoven

bedroom + bath
image © vincent van den hoven

(left) painting room
(right) living area at night
images © vincent van den hoven

(left) bedroom wing
(right) 'holy shit' toilet
images © vincent van den hoven

side yard at night
image © vincent van den hoven

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

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