A Converted 1940s Gym in the Netherlands Becomes an Airy Home With "Tactile Contrast"

MASA Architects design a serene urban hideout with open-plan spaces that juxtapose gritty, exposed brick and concrete with silky stone and glass finishes.

Jul 22, 2021 - 23:00

A Converted 1940s Gym in the Netherlands Becomes an Airy Home With "Tactile Contrast"

MASA Architects design a serene urban hideout with open-plan spaces that juxtapose gritty, exposed brick and concrete with silky stone and glass finishes.

Modest on the outside and luxurious but understated on the inside, two worlds meet at Villa West: a former gymnasium in the center of Rotterdam that was transformed into a private home by Hiroki Matsuura and René Sangers of MASA Architects.

The converted sports hall in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, features an unassuming facade with corrugated-metal panels, which help to insulate the single-level building. — Villa West by MASA Architects features an unassuming facade that is clad in corrugated-metal panels to help insulate the single-level building.
Photo by © Tim Van de Velde

The client, an entrepreneur who owns three restaurants and is planning on expanding into fashion, had previously worked with the Rotterdam-based firm to construct his three culinary establishments. "[I like] making something new out of something old," the homeowner explains.

Hiroki Matsuura and René Sangers of MASA Architects worked with the owner to preserve the openness of the original floor plan. — Hiroki Matsuura and René Sangers of MASA Architects worked with the current homeowner to preserve the openness of the original floor plan.
Photo by © Tim Van de Velde

The 1940s sporting hall was originally constructed during World War II and later served as a radio station and a day care center. The site was slated for demolition, but after the client laid eyes on the building, he "saw its potential to become a home," the owner explains.