Our philosophy
Restoration is often regarded as maintaining, revalidating and revitalizing built cultural heritage. Although caution and intervention are by definition principles of cultural preservation, restoration demands intervention. The spectrum is broad, because both the commission and the underlying principle constantly vary. In most cases the work involves material maintenance, consolidation, regeneration, material and constructive replacement, reconstruction, functional adjustments, penetration and expansion, conditioned design. The art of restoration is dedicated to respectful preservation, repair and protection of existing buildings with a socially acknowledged, cultural-historical value.
The historic, cultural and societal importance of existing structures and buildings is paramount in architectural practice. The objective is to acknowledge, recognize and accredit cultural values to promote integrating intervention in the object. Designing with respect for what is present is our hallmark. In addition to cultural and historical factors, our commissions comprise technical, economic and social aspects. The investigative element of restoration work serves to render cultural values explicit, to address fundamental preservation and repair issues and to hone thematic maintenance technology. Imparting restoration knowledge to promote continuity in craftsmanship is an essential area of concern and action, both at our firm and at the construction site.

Monuments and missions
Assaying a building exposes the individual layers of its history and presents us with an architectural mission: panelling from 1780 or back to the original walls from 1675? We do not avoid such questions and use a designing, innovating approach including – once again – respect for the situation that has arisen over the course of history and with consideration for the new purpose of the premises. Old and new converge harmoniously. In our designs we aim to balance three Vitruvian concepts: utility (utilitas), durability (firmitas) and beauty (venustas). In drafting restoration plans, we therefore look beyond monumental and construction history features of a building. As designers, we consider the future purpose as well. An architect’s main principle is that a house should be useful in practice. That is the mission that restoring architects should pursue, while complying with what is already standing. The client’s needs – and especially the value of the monument – are pivotal. We seek, possibly together with the client, the right way to integrate these contemporary requirements in the premises. This gives rise to a fascinating contrast between the historical premises on the one hand and their contemporary arrangement on the other hand.

Involved from start to finish
Once we get started, we do much of the work ourselves. This enables us to monitor quality and costs throughout the construction process. As desired, clients may of course become involved in the different stages of construction.
We aim to preserve the monument for the future. Our work starts with an analysis of each individual component of the monument. We gather the data that emerge while recording and measuring the premises; the cultural-historical value is already contained in them. We then proceed to a design. Financial options are an important factor. Many restorations are done frugally and systematically, generating a straightforward approach; reinforce and repair where necessary and reveal and refurbish parts that have been concealed.