Canal House - AZ Awards

Winner: Residential

Canal House

Starting from a historic property, i29’s Canal House has used bold hits of colour to highlight its strategic interventions.

Year: 2022
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Firm: i29, Duivendrecht, Netherlands
Photos: Ewout Huibers
Category: Residential

When i29 arrived to transform a 17th-century canal house in Amsterdam, the property was in a state near ruin. Needless to say, the two-year makeover involved a whole lot more than just a fresh coat of paint. Yet the first thing you notice about the final outcome is its bold use of colour.

Passages framed in eye-catching hues create clear moments of transition between the home’s predominantly white rooms, dividing the property into distinct zones but maintaining a sense of connection through the use of intriguing sightlines. A stepped hallway between the dining room and sitting room is framed in grey-stained oak, while a glossy green corridor at the end of the kitchen marks the entrance to a hidden guest bedroom.

The home is filled with these kinds of delightful surprises. Another secret room, this one a guest bedroom–reading lounge painted a soothing blue, lies hidden behind the living room’s rotating book wall. In another room, this one at the front of the house, a wall darts away to form a mint-green office nook complete with a built-in desk and matching table lamp.

“The individual character of each niche and small space within the volume seems to make this interior an adven- ture to explore. This diversity creates a tension and contrast that increases the longevity of the design.”

Garth Roberts, AZ Awards 2022 Juror

While each space boasts definite charm, the canal house’s true standout is its primary bedroom. To encourage especially lofty dreams, the sky-high retreat’s bed sits directly below the home’s original pitched roof. At the other end of this attic level, a serene bathing zone beckons with a freestanding Japanese bathtub and matching wood-wrapped sink. By painting the wide hallway that connects these two spaces a rich charcoal grey, i29 has created a dark, moody moment within an otherwise serene escape. Mirrored volumes on either side heighten the contrast.

In a way, this corridor is a perfect reflection of the project as a whole. Starting from a historic property, i29 has used bold hits of colour to highlight its strategic interventions, delivering a mix of different eras that encourages deeper exploration.