When construction on the upcoming House of Delft is completed in 2020, it will serve as the first point of contact for visitors arriving by train at Delft Central Station next door, as well as a thoroughfare to Delft, Netherlands’, historical city center and the campus of the Delft University of Technology. The designers of the mixed-use building, Frits van Dongen, former chief Dutch government architect, and his business partner Patrick Koschuch, have taken this opportunity to create a space that can serve as a showcase of the Dutch city’s innovative accomplishments and potential.
Once finished, the live/work structure will include private residences, work spaces, and exhibit areas. The glass façades of the 10 street-level studio rooms at the House of Delft serve as modern reinterpretations of buildings connected to Delft’s many pioneers, scientists, and artists, including Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek, the inventor of the microscope, and painter Johannes Vermeer. Each room serves as a tribute to the pioneers of the past and as a space for institutions, companies, and individuals to showcase their current work. The House of Delft’s designers hope the space will serve as a “living room” for the city’s residents and as “a precursor to everything Delft has to offer” for visitors.
Above the street-level space, several staggered rows of glass squares will make up the private, residential portion of the House, which will consist of maisonettes, lofts, penthouses, and apartments with communal amenities. Garage space will be provided for the building’s residents, and an electric car-sharing service is under consideration.
