Keylite provides bespoke roof windows for landmark Amsterdam hotel
Keylite Roof Windows (Keylite) aided with the major restoration of the five-star luxury Conservatorium hotel in Amsterdam, Netherlands, by providing 263 non-standard conservation roof windows in bespoke sizes.
Adjacent to some of Amsterdam’s cultural hotspots, the Conservatorium hotel began as a former bank and soon after a music school. Now, it stands proud as one of the most beautifully designed hotels in Amsterdam, boasting 129 rooms and suites, six meeting and event venues, and a luxury wellness centre.
Sympathetically restored by award-winning Milan-based designer and architect Piero Lissoni, this spectacular building fuses simplicity and functionality, with contemporary updates including clean lines and elegant glasswork.
The high-profile restoration of this historic Amsterdam building into a luxury hotel required Keylite to work in close collaboration with the constructor Structon to manufacture and supply 263 specially designed roof window units in completely non-standard sizes ranging from 660x1500mm to 780x2000mm.
Mike Ensing, National Manager at Keylite Holland, said: “The Conservatorium is truly a fantastic hotel in the heart of Amsterdam. Originally a bank, the space at the top of the original building was closed and dark, and Lissoni’s vision was to allow natural light and fresh air in through large windows.
“Being a national monument, the strict legislation regarding the building’s historical nature meant that disrupting the structural body, beams and brickwork was out of the question. Carefully curated windows, fully approved by Monument Care, were the only solution to achieve Lissoni’s biophilic design of bringing the outdoors in.
“As a conservation building, special monument glass was required for each of the Keylite roof windows, which was shipped from Holland to the Keylite factory in Poland and then cut to non-standard sizes. It was clear that Keylite was specified for this project because we could deliver something tailor-made that other manufacturers couldn’t fulfil.”
Another carefully thought-out design feature; the bronze trim specified for the glazing on each of the Keylite roof windows not only contributes to the contemporary yet timeless aesthetic, but also provides sound reducing benefits, which is an important consideration for this magnificent city centre hotel.