2018
NATIONAL MUSEUM
OF CERAMICS
PRINCESSEHOF
‘Our work is definitely not classical,’ says
Jansen, ‘so it’s funny that we continually
end up working on classical buildings.’ The
designers don’t pick such projects; the clients
behind them choose i29. In 2018 the pair
was selected for the National Museum of
Ceramics Princessehof, a historical building
in Leeuwarden whose claims to fame include
housing the Dutch royal family and welcom-
ing baby M.C. Escher into the world. ‘It was a
big project with a big history. Our job was to
bring the building into this century.’
Counteracting the former situa-
tion – a labyrinthine patchwork of spaces
that lacked clarity – i29 ‘unfolded’ the entire
building. ‘Certain parts of the architecture
were at different heights than others,’ says
Jansen. ‘What could be perceived as a
problem became our theme, a link to the fact
that ceramics come from the earth’s differ-
The renovation of Leeuwarden’s National ent layers.’ Paying particular attention to
Museum of Ceramics Princessehof taught i29
how to be ‘timeless without being boring’.
the entrance and its shop has exponentially
increased retail turnover. The moment when
functionality and conceptuality converge is
i29’s eureka moment.
Jansen says that ceramics museums
are often perceived as ‘dusty places’. Prin-
cessehof, however, has an extensive col-
lection of contemporary objects. ‘All ages
should be comfortable here,’ says Jansen.
‘You achieve that by being timeless without
being boring. That’s the challenge – and it’s
what this project taught us.’
Six milestone projects, one country:
the Netherlands. But i29 is now starting to
branch beyond its homeland. One example
is an upcoming collaboration with MVRDV,
in Moscow. ‘We specifically assess the client,
location and the circumstances of a project,’
says Dellensen. ‘Working abroad will open
up new cases, new histories.’ ●
i29.nl‘We’re not
trying to arrive
at nothing’
MILESTONES 69