After years of vacancy, the water tower has been given a new destination. The dilapidated national monument was purchased by a private client and Zecc designed the transformation into a six-storey residence in the former water reservoir, three apartments in the lower part and a commercial space on the ground floor. The challenge for this design lay in creating good daylight openings, a beautiful outdoor area and good access. Interventions that have been carefully integrated into the Amsterdam School architecture.

For the studio apartments, three large openings have been made in the facade as a new 'time layer' with steel folding doors in a Corten steel frame. When the facade is fully opened, a compact loggia is created in the house as an outdoor space.

In the former reservoir is a house of 400 m2 over six floors. It starts on the 4th floor (leak floor). Here is the entrance and access to a private elevator. The water tank bottom, made of sheet steel with coarse rivets, is clearly visible here. In the 'journey' upwards, the more private functions have been placed lower ( guest rooms, relaxation area and storage space). Towards the top the space become more and more open, creating a spectacular succession of floors, voids and views.

The 6th floor is divided into 3 guest rooms. Here the incisions in the steel reservoir become larger and the relationship with the environment and the view becomes stronger. The openings in the reservoir have been handled in different ways, creating a suitable perception of daylight and the environment for each room and function. In the lower sleeping quarters, the steel has been cut and folded away towards the existing openings in the masonry facade.

The 7th floor is all for the master bedroom. Here is an amazing view of the city at rising sun and the Dom tower in the city centre. A large loggia opening has been made in the reservoir and in the masonry outer wall for this purpose. The original vertical window strips in the outer facade continue across the facade as a reminder of the original facade.

The kitchen is located on the 8th floor. Here large openings have been made in the reservoir and enlarged windows in the facade. A large void offers a view of the roof construction and a spatial connection with the living room on the 9th floor. The space here is overwhelming. Under the high steel and wood roof construction panoramic windows have been made for a 360-degree view.

The overall atmosphere is sturdy, industrial combined with homely and intimate. The basis of the choice of materials was already present: the warm color and texture of the masonry, anthracite-coloured steel frames, the rusted reservoir of nailed sheet steel and the light grey steel trusses of the roof construction. This has been supplemented with concrete floors, white interior walls and warm walnut accents. In the loose interior, this palette is supplemented with natural and earthy colours, making the whole a sturdy but very homely whole.