Reconstruction of a 19th century house in Rotterdam Design 06.04.2022 Architectural and landscape studio LMNL turned a dilapidated house of the XIX century into a modern space filled with light and “air” Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood This house is hidden among lush gardens on one of Rotterdam’s oldest streets in the Kralingen district. The building was built in 1840 and was intended for the gardeners of Honingen Castle, and now it belongs to the founders of the local studio LMNL. “At the time of purchase, the house was not in the best condition: open pipes, rotten floor beams, leaning windows, leaking roof,” say architects Erica Chladova and Robert van der Pol. Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood To preserve the historical appearance of the facades, the couple decided to insulate the house from the inside. Insulation made of wood fiber, covered on both sides with clay plaster, allows you to maintain a comfortable level of humidity and temperature both in summer heat and cold winter. The basement was protected from water with the help of seashell material made according to ancient Roman technology. Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood The architects tried to use the space of the house with a total area of 100 sq.m to the maximum. On the ground floor there is a living room combined with a dining room and a kitchen. The main accents in the interior were a modern tiled, complementing the dining area, and a dark green kitchen island topped with a marble countertop. A staircase with a built-in bookcase leads to the second floor, where there are two large bedrooms, an office and a bathroom. Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood The house is surrounded by lush gardens on all sides. Trees such as Himalayan birch and hazel form a canopy over hundreds of different species of perennial plants. Also on the territory there is a small vegetable garden where you can grow vegetables, and a custom-made greenhouse with a cozy hammock. Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood Photo Sibren Lempsink, Andrea Flood Original content from the site