Café Commercial
Hospitality
Renovation and adaptive reuse of a former 1950s café into a second restaurant for the owner of the well-known Veranda. In addition to the new restaurant, the building now also houses an upper-level rental apartment and a rooftop studio with garden, which serves as a bed and breakfast.
The necessary interventions were carried out with great precision, carefully preserving the original, characteristic atmosphere of the café. For example, the original tables were fitted with discreet drawers to store cutlery — a subtle yet thoughtful modification that left the furniture’s appearance virtually unchanged. The original bar was partially retained, though adapted to meet the modern requirements of a restaurant. The banquettes were made more comfortable, and an industrial-style, semi-open kitchen and storage area were added, lending depth to the interior and offering guests a glimpse behind the scenes. A wine cooler and toilet were installed in parallel and separated by a glass partition. The overall design maintains an abstract evocation of the 1950s, reinterpreted with a contemporary twist.
The duplex apartment above the restaurant was given a terrace at the rear. The design is based on the building’s existing and complex split-level structure. The rooftop studio on the upper floor takes a more playful approach, conceived for short stays of one or two nights. The kitchenette, bedroom, and bathroom flow seamlessly into one another, with curtains allowing for flexible levels of privacy.
A spiral staircase leads to a winter garden, which opens onto a rooftop terrace. Designed by Bart & Pieter, this rooftop space offers a striking view over the former abattoir district and forms the final, unifying element of the project.
