High-level transformation on Cow Street

The Koestraat in Zwolle looks to pass through a ring. Blaauw Perioverf Elburg transformed the buildings back to their former state. The buildings become luxury care homes for the elderly. Father and son Goos and Ton van Wezep talk about the details and the wood, glass and paint work. They know all about monumental renovations.

Blaauw Perioverf has more than 100 years of experience in painting and glass work, says Ton van Wezep. "This project fits our street perfectly. We are also used to working together with Salverda. For these properties, we were mainly busy with decoration restoration of the old wood, interior and exterior painting, restoration and sauceing of the facades and installation of insulating monumental glass."

The details

The building with 18th-century ceilings needed to be renovated without the renovation being visible. "So we created new wood structures, restored old fireplaces, sprayed and tackled the ceilings. The doors all had to come out because they were replaced with fireproof doors. The old ones were recreated with fire-resistant material and decorated with wood textures as it was. It's a true metamorphosis on the inside."

A fine and isolated place

Many people think that monumental buildings cannot be made more sustainable, but nothing could be further from the truth, according to Van Wezep. "We used monumental insulating glazing. To install glass in monuments, you have to meet several requirements. In cooperation with the National Office, we chose glazing that matches the original look of the building and is fine living for the elderly."

The combination of preserving the look and the new use was the project's biggest challenge. "We are proud of the final result and we are happy to have such a nice place for the elderly. The monument will remain and get a beautiful new function. The residents will soon be able to walk easily into town and they will live in a beautiful building. It's nice to do this work like this."