Hollander neighborhood remains iconic for Leeuwarden

Renovate while retaining original details

The entire Hollander neighborhood in Leeuwarden has the status of a national monument, but in reality it is 177 small national monuments. Piece by piece, the homes are now receiving a major maintenance and preservation overhaul. Given the amount of custom work involved, implementation of the total project will take about three years.

Hollanderwijk is image-defining for Leeuwarden and widely known. This may have something to do with the fact that the houses - unlike similar residential neighborhoods - have always been owned by one and the same owner. As a result, the authentic features have been preserved. That makes the challenge for Lont all the greater. It is up to her to renovate the homes and make them more sustainable without compromising this.

Democrat

To find the most successful approach, Lont takes the democratic route. For nearly two years, together with the client, she conducts interviews with stakeholders such as the municipality, province, residents' committee, Monumentenzorg and residents to get all interests in line. This is how she develops the most optimal plan.

Frisian corrugated roof tiles

Renovating the roof proved to be quite a challenge. "The roofs have to be insulated from the outside," says Jorrit van der Veen, Lont's project manager. "Of course while preserving the original details. It took a lot of research to get this done. For example, the Frisian corrugated roof tiles are no longer available. We had these re-fired. The connection details between roof and gutter, dormers, nodes and wind feathers we renovate - where possible - with the existing materials."

Replacement living room floor

A major renovation component is the replacement of the living room floors. These were once installed on Argex pellets, which have caused many moisture problems over the years. To put an end to this, the floors are now being replaced. "Some residents are using a change of residence during this intensive intervention," Van der Veen says. "Others are going to live upstairs temporarily. In both cases, we do everything we can to inform them as best we can. If the residents know what to expect, they are more understanding about inconvenience
and inconveniences."

Insulating glass

To preserve the striking window frames, the existing glass will be replaced with 8 mm thick vacuum glass. The insulating qualities of this glass are comparable to those of HR+++ glass. The panes will be set with a putty replacement material, which will be painted - as it once was - in the same color as the wood.

Implementation of the renovation project is now halfway through. The team members are becoming more and more attuned to each other, and the supply problems caused by the war in Ukraine are behind them. Although this does not mean that people can perform the same trick over and over again. "Within the 177 homes, there are 30 different house types and each house type requires specific detail solutions. But that's exactly what makes this work fun."