Black Gems

Bureau Fraai expands Amsterdam home with additional floor and car showroom

As proud owners of two Jaguar models, a young couple came to Amsterdam architectural firm Bureau Fraai with the request to design a garage at their home where they could be safely stored. Hereby, the quiet hope was that their favorite model would also be visible from the living room, so they could fully enjoy this beauty. Hence, the architects came up with the concept of a private showroom, designed as a distinct black volume with one large steel-framed window framing their favorite model, as if it were a painting; a “painting” to admire from the comfort of their own living room. The showroom’s distinctive design is enhanced by the integration of a specially designed grill with Jaguar logo that references classic models from the car brand’s history. To accommodate both cars in the garage, they are stacked by means of a car elevator with the result that the coupe even seems to float above ground level.

In addition to the showroom, Bureau Fraai also designed a matching black roof structure to match the different roof heights of the two adjacent properties. Again, both the front and back of this living and working space’s interior is framed by a large steel-framed window. This results in an almost Edward Hopper-like appearance from the street. Both window frames also have a second function. In the interior, the frame at the front is extended into a desk while framing the view to the neighborhood. At the back, the frame inside connects to a bench that is simultaneously part of the wall unit.

In contrast to the black shell, the interior actually has a warm and light character. Both the beamed ceiling and the adjacent wall unit are done in wood with bright rhythm and refined detailing giving it a Japanese feel.

Project info
Status: delivered 2020
Client: Private
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contractor: Michel Pronk Bouw
Interior designer: Pronklust
Photography: Studio de Nooyer