The Garage Loft is a transformation of a former neighborhood garage. The space has been kept open and in “original” condition as much as possible. This gives a lot of character to this loft. Moreover, it offers a range of uses. As a car city, Rotterdam has a history with neighborhood garages. Because the city council is committed to reducing the number of cars in the city center, these garages are increasingly becoming vacant.

Repurposing these vacant garages into lofts is interesting because they offer an abundance of space. The common tendency is to turn them into a slick apartment while retaining some industrial details. That was not our intention. We wanted to create a future-proof and authentic space where the existing quality is not hidden away but cherished.

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

The space consists of a basement and a floor at street level. To make it habitable, it needed daylight and fresh air. The void at the front provides daylight deep into the basement. Additional daylight and fresh air comes from the patio at the rear.

Round shapes and natural materials have been added to contrast with the concrete. The cylinder on the ground floor is the shower. It is detached from the ceiling and wall so that light can shine through. The wooden cladding gives this element a warm feel.The loft is designed so that the space can be used for different functions. For example, the basement with pantry can also be a fantastic home office, a b&b or an apartment for friends. All facilities are available for it. It makes the GarageLoft very future-proof.

The result is an unpolished, pure loft that fits the location well in atmosphere. The loft is located in a “tough” neighborhood with historic buildings, working-class houses, offices, large school buildings (including the Maritime School) and various harbors.

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig

The deep loft has an open floor plan. From the street side, you look all the way through to the patio. A 24-meter line of sight. This grand gesture really shows off the concrete shell. All the concrete has been sandblasted, revealing the beautiful wood grains of the formwork. The piping has also been kept in sight. The ceiling and pipes have been sprayed in a warm red color. This gives ‘weight’ and homeliness to this more than 4 meters high space.

All spaces flow into each other as much as possible. The steel walkway and industrial spiral staircase connect to the street and the two floors. The large blue closet extends into the basement. A large spatial gesture, matching the scale of the whole.

The kitchen island is the heart of the loft. Placed between two concrete columns and executed with blue tiles, it is a sturdy element, necessary in this large space. To break through the concrete shell and bring light into the middle zone, a wall of glass bricks was added. Behind the wall, light points were placed at random locations.

PHOTOS BY MWA Hart Nibbrig