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AZ Awards 2022 Winner: Canal House by i29

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.

AZ Awards 2022 Winner: Canal House by i29

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.

AZ Awards 2022 Winner: Canal House by i29

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.

AZ Awards 2022 Winner: Canal House by i29
“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.

AZ Awards 2022 Winner: Canal House by i29

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.

Winner: Residential
Canal House

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

Explore more Award Winners

2023
Award of MeritResidential
Location
Toronto, Canada
Firms
Suzanne Wilkinson Interiors, Williamson Williamson Architects and Wilkinson Construction (Canada)
2021
Award of MeritResidential
Location
Montreal, Canada
Firm
Dupont Blouin, Canada
2015
People’s ChoiceResidential
Location
Cagliari, Italy
Firm
Architetto Pierluigi Piu