Careful restoration of a historic building in Amsterdam, with integration of new glass rooflight and stair.

Built in 1912 on the Leidseplein in Amsterdam, the neoclassical lines of the Hirsch building have made it a famous landmark in the city.

The project involved the renovation of the ground and first floors into a new store and headquarters for Apple Europe and set out to recreate some of the beauty of the original department store interior.

It combined sensitive reinstatement of many of the original features with a modern glass spiral staircase at the entrance and a glazed court yard roof within. This balance of modern and period details was particularly evident at the skylight perimeter where the support frame was carefully integrated within the plaster cornice.

Location
Amsterdam

Client 
Apple

Architect 
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson