Karmel Monastery

The Karmel Monastery in Drachten is a monument with a rich history and layered architecture. Founded in the 1930s and completed in the 1950s, the building served for decades as a convent for the Carmelite nuns. After a period as a conference, exhibition and event location since 1993, a new chapter is now starting: the redevelopment of the convent into a residential environment where history and contemporary living comfort come together.

Heritage as the basis for renewal

At Kokon, we believe in reuse and transformation as the key to sustainable heritage. The Carmel Monastery is a complex building due to different construction phases, which made the design task challenging. Our approach preserves and enhances the historical layering, while respecting the original structure.

On the ground floor, the residences have each been allocated a part of the characteristic vaulted cloister corridor and the serene monastery garden. Thus, the entrance and kitchen face the garden, while the living rooms overlook the surrounding grounds. The flats on the upper floors are accessed via the original stairwells and main entrances, leading to a newly formed entrance via the roof of the cloister corridor. Discreet interventions have created unity in the fragmented facades surrounding the cloister garden, leaving the external façade on the city side virtually unchanged.

In addition, the original chapel, along with the church hall and adjoining spaces, have been carefully integrated into the design to preserve their historical function and appearance.

Responding to contemporary housing challenges

The redevelopment of the Carmel Monastery fits seamlessly with the urgent demand for housing within existing urban contexts. This project shows how heritage is not only a reminder of the past, but can also play a dynamic role in creating future-proof residential environments.

With this design, Kokon unites heritage and modern living in a meaningful way - a monastery that embraces history while responding to society's contemporary needs.