Princessehof Ceramics Museum, Leeuwarden

Leeuwarden is the European Capital of Culture 2018, and museum Princessehof celebrates its 100th birthday. This anniversary was the motive for a major renovation of the museum, with the goal of increasing its appeal and accessibility to visitors. They created a surprisingly modern interior in the monumental buildings, which date from the 18th century. The design features an entrance hall including the museum store and tearoom, the museum square and exhibition areas for the vast collections.

The main challenge was to create a welcoming and contemporary entrance area in the rather closed monumental buildings. A timeless interior that matches the museum as a place for inspiration and surprise. In addition, the museum wanted to reorganize their comprehensive collection with the goal of having a clear and surprising experience. However, the available financial resources for achieving these ambitions were rather limited. i29 interior architects was asked, together with agency The Ambassadors of Aesthetics, to translate this vision into reality.

To attract more people and offer visitors the option of perusing the tearoom and museum store, the entrance area is entirely opened up. Visitors can now access the museum from both the front- and back entrance. The new area welcomes visitors in a spacious entrance hall with lots of daylight. The space also connects the museum store, cash register area and tearoom. The horizontal alignment and level differences in these objects are a subtle reference to layers of earth, the natural resource of ceramics. Behind the counters integrated ramps offer disabled people access to the museum. A large garden that is adjacent to the tearoom has also been made accessible to the public.