Rosewood AMSTERDAM Following a decade-long restoration, a historic courthouse is reborn as a landmark hotel that fuses architectural heritage with contemporary Dutch design. Words: Jeanne Tan • Photography: © Daniëlle Siobhán (unless otherwise stated)
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s Amsterdam continues to attract record-breaking
the structural and environmental interventions that are not
visitor numbers, the impact of overtourism came
immediately apparent to guests. Excavating a two-storey
under the spotlight once again last summer as the
basement in a city built on wooden piles is no small feat, and
municipality extended its policy to restrict hotel development
the project team embraced major sustainability strategies
for both newbuilds and conversions across the historic city
to futureproof the property. “Almost the entire building
centre, as well as the UNESCO-listed canal district.
is insulated, the original timber window frames are fitted
It is fitting then, that the last new hotel conversion
with an innovative insulating vacuum glass and an aquifer
permitted in the city is Rosewood’s much anticipated
thermal storage system has been implemented for heating
Dutch debut, situated within the former Palace of Justice
and cooling, with wells drilled in the lane behind,” explains
along the grand Prinsengracht canal. Built in 1665 as an
Manon Becking, Partner at Kentie Architecten. During
orphanage, which then functioning as a courthouse until
excavations, the site became an archaeological hotspot,
2013, the Neoclassical structure was acquired in 2015 by
where municipal teams uncovered centuries-old objects,
CTF Amsterdam, who secured what would be the city’s
some of which are now displayed in lobby cabinets.
final permit granted for the conversion of a monument to
Dutch firm Studio Piet Boon and London-based Sagrada
hotel use. The ensuing decade-long restoration equipped
were responsible for interiors, while Archer Humphryes
the heritage-listed building with all the mod-cons of a
acted as the Interior Design Execution Architect. Their
contemporary luxury hotel, while adhering to preservation
scope encompassed the full lifecycle of design realisation,
rules so strict that various interventions were designed to
from project co-ordination to developing technical drawings
be dismantled at a later date if required. The result is a
for bespoke elements and creating specification packages
new hospitality landmark featuring 134 guestrooms, two
for the interiors. “Translating the visions of Studio Piet
restaurants and a cocktail bar, five events spaces, as well
Boon and Sagrada into a heritage structure was a delicate
as an Asaya Spa with a 12m subterranean swimming pool.
balance of preservation and innovation,” notes Marco Piras,
The mammoth task of transforming an austere courthouse
Project Director at Archer Humphryes. “The challenge lay
into an inviting hotel fell to Kentie Architecten, whose
in integrating contemporary luxury within the existing
role involved incorporating the required MEP, spatial
historical fabric without compromising either. Essentially,
layouts and tender specifications, as well as working with
we managed the intricate dance between design aspiration
specialists such as DPA on a sensitive lighting scheme, and
and construction execution, guaranteeing that the final
maintaining close contact with heritage authorities to ensure
product mirrored the high-end luxury and meticulous detail
stringent regulations were met. Particularly impressive are
envisioned for the Rosewood brand.”