Molenpolder Studio
The idea to transform this small hay barn arose during the search for a suitable workspace for our client. The unique location of the agricultural building offered the opportunity to create a studio where one can fully retreat and feel immersed within the Dutch polder landscape.
The former barn is located in the Molenpolder, an area in Stichtse Vecht near Utrecht, where peat was once dredged, and which is now characterized by long, narrow strips of water. The building is situated on an exceptionally located plot, between the public road and the peat bogs. Of all the buildings on the plot, the barn is the closest to the water.
Many buildings in this agricultural region feature traditional thatched roofs. We wanted to preserve the building’s exterior characteristics: the square floor plan, the four protruding posts, and the thatched roof. In traditional hay barns, the height-adjustable roof kept the hay dry and was able to move up and down along the posts. During this repurposing, a comfortable, insulated workspace was built under the roof. The existing woodwork was stripped down, and the thatch was renewed.
On the side facing the public road, the studio is closed off, and the two blind facades are clad with charred black wood. Only the sliding door hints that there is a living space beneath the thatched roof. In contrast to the exterior, the interior of the studio is light in color and sleekly finished. The roof structure and walls are painted white, and the floor features a light gray cast floor.
As soon as one steps into the studio and closes the sliding door behind them, one feels detached from daily life. The studio’s new, large windows flood the space with natural light and offer stunning views of the watery peat landscape. From the inspiring workspace, you can look far into the Molenpolder, between the narrow strips of land.
Location: Tienhoven, Netherlands
Date: 2023-2024
Status: Completed
Client: Private
Project team: Serge Schoemaker, Maiara Camilotti | Henrik Holte, Ottavia Profumo
Photography: MWA Hart Nibbrig
