The Art Room

Light, space and history in balance

Drakenborch Castle is likely the oldest surviving house in Utrecht, with walls and beams dating back approximately 750 years. Over the centuries, the building transformed from a knight's residence to a machine factory and Chinese restaurant. The Utrecht Internet Courant published an extensive article about it in 2019.

BK-Punt Architectuur took on the challenge of bringing the facade, which had been restored in the old style in 1967, into harmony with the interior. While the ground floor now houses a clothing store, the upper floors had not been thoroughly renovated for a long time — the attic was even only accessible via a wooden ladder. Kunstkamer Utrecht asked BK-Punt to develop a new future plan for the building.

After a thorough analysis of the existing structure, BK-Punt designed a new layout that breathes new life into the city castle. A carefully designed staircase preserves all the historic beams and utilizes existing floor openings, allowing the stairs to flow elegantly between the beams up to the attic floor. This way, the history remains tangible in every space.

New window openings were not permitted due to the monumental status. In collaboration with lighting designer Frans van Hooijdonk, BK-Punt therefore created a clever lighting plan. By fitting the existing dormer windows with glass and strategically placed lighting, the dark ceilings are illuminated and the space appears optically larger.

The luminaires, specially developed for this project by Berla Lighting, provide precisely positioned spotlights to provide the lighting intended by the design.