Architecture

Gem of eclectic architecture

Unique in Middelburg: a richly decorated building, with an angled corner section with bay window, French balcony and gable end.

What immediately catches the eye are the reddish-brown bricks in cross bond, enlivened by white-painted (natural stone) bands, blocks and mouldings.

Above the windows there are beautiful arch drums, with sober mosaic masonry. The roof layer has a French hipped roof with nostalgic tiles. The large windows, high ceilings and authentic elements give this building a spacious and generous feeling. The high windows catch the light from outside, which creates a positive atmosphere inside.

Material

The luxurious look of the copper extension blends seamlessly with the stately appearance of this historic monument.

Copper, so closely associated with Middelburg of that time, has a leading role in the entire project. We chose to build the entire extension in copper. Pure (red) copper is a soft metal: pliable, easy to shape and with a high conductivity for heat and electricity. It is corrosion resistant and therefore durable. It is not for nothing that it has been used and applied by man for ten thousand years. Copper is not magnetic and also has a disinfecting and antibacterial effect.

As for the other materials, the building also meets the highest technical, constructional and sustainability requirements, with wall, floor and ceiling insulation.

Architect Wouter de Gaaij

"This building will truly be an experience for the guests".

When designing the building extension, the monument in eclectic style was the starting point for Wouter. "The horizontal bands are continued in the copper, creating a unity. The dimensions of the original window frames were also used. The white color of the first floor, the plinth, also continues. Thus the extension is an abstract translation of the existing facade. In turn, the extension fits in nicely with the modern architecture of the adjacent buildings. The copper presented some technical challenges, which we solved together with the coppersmith. It is exciting how the pure copper will develop. It is already getting darker, but how it will oxidize depends on the purity of the air.

What I personally find special? That my original design could be executed in its entirety: it fitted within the zoning plan and the high costs of such a copper facade did not appear to be an insurmountable obstacle. I hope that Copper & Co will become a real city hotel, where the people of Middelburg will come to drink a cup of coffee in the lounge or the garden. Either way, the iconic building will make a lasting impression on guests."