Dutch Studio Overtreders W redesigned and recently completed the museum restaurant of Het Dolhuys located in Haarlem, Holand.

Description from the architects:

The restaurant of Museum Het Dolhuys has a new interior and a new name: Thuys (Dutch for At Home). The new interior was designed by studio Overtreders W. The restaurant is based in the oldest part of the museum complex, the 14th century chapel of the original psychiatric hospital. The original function of the chapel was emphasized during the renovation, by painting the walls white and removing the plaster from the tower of the church, in which a children’s play corner was made.

Among the eye-cathers of the restaurant are the counter covered with matt glazed tiles, a huge chandelier of metal boxes covered with wool felt and a modular wall system consisting of bookcases, picture frames, a panel for hanging the frames on the wall, acoustic panels and colour patches. These objects were designed with consideration for the specific qualities of people with psychiatric problems. These people are often very good at repetitive work that others would think of as boring. Therefore, the individual elements of the wall system and the boxes of the chandelier are very simple to produce, and were made by clients of two psychiatric institutions. The amount of different elements combined together make a rich and colourful whole. The sizes are based on DIN A paper sizes, to make sure all elements fit together.

Some objects from the old interior returned in a new shape: the oak of an old bench was used to make a long table, the big second-hand lampshades were flocked in grey velvet and are in use again.

The graphic design was made by Raw Color and photos by Jorn van Eck.

Overtreders W website.