• De Kristal, Nesselande

    De Kristal is a square-shaped residential building with approximately 200 homes for the elderly around a courtyard and is located in the Vinex district of Nesselande. Various social facilities have been accommodated in the plinth zone of the building, including a health center, a community center and a library. Due to changes in this use, there is a need to think about a redevelopment of the plinth zone. 

    At the request of the owner SOR and Humanitas, a plan has been made in which the existing group homes can be expanded in the plinth zone of the residential building into a full-fledged care center with 60 residential studios divided over 6 group homes.

    The floor of the existing courtyard on the first floor will be partially removed so that a new three-storey residential block can be placed on the ground floor. The rectangular building block must be constructed lightly and is constructed from prefabricated timber frame construction. This means the building can be completed in a relatively short time.  

    The courtyard on the first floor will be decorated in lush greenery and easily accessible to all residents. The patios on the ground floor are specifically intended for the group homes and provide daylight for all areas adjacent to them.

    The new block fits into the architecture of the surrounding sleek and glass-like residential building through the use of identical materials and high-quality detailing. The facades will be equipped with large windows and the closed facade surfaces will be finished with fiber cement parts. The roof surfaces will have a moss-sedum covering.

    Client: SOR (Stichting Ouderenhuisvesting Rotterdam)

    Design: 2021 - 2024

    Construction: 2025 - 2026

    Architect: MATH architects, The Hague

    Contractor: Dura Vermeer Bouw Heyma, Rotterdam

    Civil engineer: Van der Vorm Engineering, Delft

    Installation adviser: Wolf + Dikken adviseurs, Wateringen

  • Felix Meritis, Amsterdam

    The neoclassical building on the Keizersgracht of the society Felix Meritis is built according to the design by Jacob Otten Husly in 1787. Influenced by the Enlightenment ideals, five different departments were housed in one building: the departments of music, commerce, literature, physics and drawing. It was a masterpiece that - despite its use as a printing factory from 1888 on, a fire in 1932, the turbulent years of the Communistic party headquarters and Shaffy Theater – still remains one of the most monumental buildings in Amsterdam.

    In the end of 2014 the investment firm Amerborgh managed to acquire Felix Meritis through a competition judjed by the city of Amsterdam. MATH was part of the team of specialists who prepared the "bid". MATH was responsible for the architectural vision and an architectural plan for the renovation and restoration. In the following years, these plans have been developed into a full architectural design. The planning permission was granted on March 16, 2017 and later that year started the implementation.

    The building consists of a square-shaped volume at the street side and an oval-shaped volume at the rear connected by a monumental stairwell. These two volumes house the main halls of Felix Meritis. The spaces in between these volumes originally remained open and functioned as patios. MATH architects came up with a transformation concept were function and historic value are optimally integrated. The central objective of the intervention was to restore the historical structure and layout of the building. Though the reconstruction of the original roof contour, the two distinctive volumes of Felix Meritis reappeared clearly in the skyline of Amsterdam. The new roof structure provided also the opportunity to create a new skylight which fills the Husly Lounge with ample natural light from above, reminiscent of the indirect light effect of the original Teekenzaal. Meanwhile, many non-original additions of the past years had to be removed in order to reveal the authentic form and qualities of the spaces. Over time, the original patios have been covered and closed, so that the building structure was no longer experienced. In the current transformation, they have been made again recognizable as an outdoor space, while at the same time they can be used as an indoor space. In order to achieve this outdoor experience, MATH architects designed three glazed roofs which are made entirely of clear glass. The beams -made of glass as well-, guarantee a maximum view towards the sky. The materials and finishes chosen by MATH enhance even more this outdoor feeling.

    One of the biggest challenges has been meeting all the modern technical standards, regulations and requirements for the demanding new program of Felix Meritis -as a house of culture for the arts, science, technology and entrepreneurship- while at the same time preserving its historical elements and values. To use the classical oval Concert Hall in Felix Meritis for both acoustic and amplified music, MATH designed an acoustic cabinet element which functions in both situations. When folded out, the 14 cabinets offer a maximum absorbent surface, and when folded, the door of the sloping surfaces ensures sufficient sound dispersion in the room. In that way the hall can be utilized to its maximum, while these subtle elements do not distort the historical character of the hall. The architectural design respects and strengthens the original building concept. As each department in 1787 had its own character and atmosphere, each room now has its own appearance and interpretation, while all the connecting spaces remain neutral and subordinate. Based on historical research, it appeared that the lower floors preserved more original elements compared to the top floors which have been repeatedly remodeled in the past. Therefore, the re-design of the entrance zone, the Concertzaal and Zuilenzaal aims to preserve the original character, while the halls of the upper floors have a more modern approach. Ascending the main stairwell of Felix Meritis becomes a journey through time, from monumental and introvert to contemporary, light and airy with panoramic views of the city. In mid-2016 the interior architects i29 joined the team and enhanced and completed the architectural concept and design with the interior design.

    Project: Felix Meritis, Amsterdam 

    Client: Amerborgh Monuments/ Amerpodia

    Address: Keizersgracht 324, Amsterdam

    Construction: 2017-2020

    Architect: MATH architecten

    Interior design: i29 interiorarchitects

    Restoration advisor: Verlaan & Bouwstra architecten

    Building historical research: De Fabryck

    Historical color research: Judith Bohan

    Concept development: Marcia Sookha

    Construction management: B3 Bouwadviseurs 

    Contractor: Jurriëns, Utrecht

    Interior builder: Stooff interior projects

    Installation advisor: Huisman & van Muijen

    Mechanical installations:: Easy Controls

    Electrotechnical installations: Mega Elektra

    Civil engineer: SID Studio

    Acoustic advisor: Peutz / Level acoustics & vibration

    Lighting design: Lichtconsult

    Photography: Ewout Huibers, MATH architects

  • Forest House, Vierhouten

    This forest cabin is located in a clearing on the outskirts of Vierhouten in the Veluwe. Because the house replaced an existing vacation home, restrictions were placed on the maximum allowable floor area.

    The rooms are arranged around a glass-enclosed patio, making the house feel exceptionally spacious despite its limited floor area. At the same time, this creates a buffer between the sleeping and living areas. Large sliding louvered screens can be used to create a more intimate atmosphere in the living room, the patio, or the bedrooms. When no one is home, these screens protect the patio from overly curious wild boars.

    The building is constructed using a wood-frame structure with open siding. Thanks to its robust detailing and the roof finish featuring natural slate laid in a random pattern, the building blends seamlessly into its surroundings.

    The design was developed in close collaboration with the clients and was completed in the summer of 2013. Since then, the house has been called “De Boshut.” It is very popular as a vacation home.

    Design: 2012

    Construction: 2013

    Contractor: Van Wijhe Construction Company, LLC, Doornspijk

  • Apartment Complex, Handel

    This residential complex is situated on a former industrial site in the middle of the village of Handel in North Brabant, Netherlands. The 12 rental apartments are built in two layers over a parking garage. Resolving the parking under the building gave us the opportunity to arrange the surrounding terrain as a communal garden.

    The spacious 2 and 3 room apartments all have a living room with a south-facing balcony. The staggering of the partly indoor balconies provides a pleasant undulation to the facade. On account of the municipal restrictions regarding height, a curved roof was chosen. To match the village architecture, a coarse red brick has been used with dark, inset joints. The roof is made of metal and is enclosed by spacious gutters.

    The building is centrally heated with a heat pump. The closed system uses a heat roof of 100 m2 and seven sources located at a depth of 100 meters. Geothermal energy provides heat, cooling and hot water in the homes. The heat exchanger in the roof keeps the system in balance. All houses have their own distribution unit with meters. Rainwater is purified and collected by means of a sedimentation facility in the garden. Together with the naturally ventilated parking basement, these are aspects that make the building particularly sustainable.

    This project was developed, designed and executed by MATH architects BV in one hand.

    Client: J.A.J. Hermkens

    Design: 2002 - 2006

    Construction: 2007 - 2008

    Contractor: various subcontractors