Dutch interior architecture firm i29 has completed a contemporary renovation of the 18th-century buildings of the Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics in the Dutch city of Leeuwarden.
Unveiled to coincide with the Princesshof museum's 100th birthday, and the city of Leeuwarden being named as the European Capital of Culture 2018, the museum has undergone a major renovation of its entrance and exhibition spaces.

i29 has designed the interiors of the entrance hall, which include a shop and a tearoom, as well as all the exhibition rooms that house the museum's vast collections.
"The main challenge was to create a welcoming and contemporary entrance area in the rather closed monumental buildings," said the studio. "A timeless interior that matches the museum as a place for inspiration and surprise."
A bright and spacious open-plan layout in the entrance area allows visitors to access the museum from both the front and back entrance, and also gives them a chance to peruse the tearoom and museum store on their way in and out.
Laid out in a horizontal line on varying different floor levels, the tearoom, store and ticket desk subtly reference layers of earth used to make ceramics.

Integrated ramps slotted in behind the counters of each area provide disabled access while a large garden adjacent to the tearoom has also been made accessible.
"To create an intensive experience throughout the various spaces we added clear contrasts, which is most visible ...