Water Tower Turned into a Residence

Zecc architects in Netherlands have transformed an abandoned water tower that dates back to 1930s into a 21th century living residence with 9 floors. The tower, located in Soest, was designed by H.F. Mertens in 1931 and abandoned in 2002. The same year, the tower got into the hands of Zecc architects whose assignment was to convert the 24 meter tall structure into a residence of high quality while preserving the characteristics from the past.

According to the architects, the transformation processes was a challenging one. Many problems had to be overcome; letting more daylight in and strengthening the relationship with the back courtyard by inserting a three-level high window frame; maintaining the interior’s industrial characteristics by working with materials like steel, concrete and glass; and in the tower, ensuring an effective, efficient layout for several small round rooms that lay one on top of the other, while preserving the tower’s spaciousness, to name a few.

Designer – Zecc Architects www.zecc.nl

(All photos used with the permission by the Zecc Architects)