ARCHITECTURE FOR CLIMATE AND COMMUNITY
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Parksite

Rotterdam, the Netherlands
PARKSITE is an example of adaptive reuse, transforming a former ambulance garage in the heart of Rotterdam into a distinctive urban dwelling. By rethinking the existing structure rather than replacing it, the project gives new life to a utilitarian building while preserving its robust character. Opening the rear façade with a large glass window establishes a direct and generous relationship with the adjacent, secluded park—turning an introverted service space into a calm domestic refuge connected to nature.
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A strategic intervention at the centre of the plan creates a dug-out living area, generating the height needed for a second level above. Suspended within this volume, a polycarbonate light box houses the bedrooms and spans across the living kitchen. Integrated LED lighting turns this element into a softly glowing presence, both functional and atmospheric. The light box acts as an anchor within the space, organising movement and defining the spatial sequence from street to park.

Custom-made cupboards, kitchen elements and stairs—finished in bright orange polyurethane—form a continuous interior landscape linking the entrance on the street side to the living space facing the park. The staircase doubles as furniture, with loose blocks that can be used as informal seating or tables, reinforcing the flexible, lived-in character of the home. Moving beneath the suspended light box, views gradually open up towards the greenery outside, culminating in a striking moment where the park fully reveals itself—an unexpected oasis at the end of an urban journey.

article Archello

article Contemporist

article Formakers

article Homedsgn

Project credits
Client
Maarten Laupman and Simone Rots
Location
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Program
260 m2 private house, redevelopment of an ambulance parking garage into a luxurious urban house
Status
realisation 2008, winner Dutch Design Award 2009
Design credits
Design
Duzan Doepel, Eline Strijkers with Stefan Meyer, Arjan Pit i.c.w. Lex-Architects
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