|
Second Floor East Room
aka God's Own Attic
you find yourself
An attic room with one French window towards the East, opening inwards, consisting of eight glass panes each. Shutters on the outside. Its walls are plastered white. The floor is wood planks, arranged across the width of the room. This is a quiet spot since from here you generally do not hear the river, which is on the extreme other end of the house, actually diagonally from the room's window.
detail
Most interesting in this room is its plaster ceiling, which runs over the entire attic but can only here be seen in its complete width hence appreciated for its form. The angled roof planes connect to the horizontal ceiling in a lowering of the latter, elegantly curved at both sides, with a 20-24 cm. wide strip cornering at 90° with the roof's tilted plane. Already to have a plaster ceiling shows that these rooms have been conceived as living quarters, most likely to lodge personnel. At their service at the end of the second landing is a shoot for washing water from a jug and basin, probably as well serving the disposal of the contents of a pot de chambre.
connecting to the Second Floor Landing
measurements in cm.
[l/h/(d), doors and windows including posts]
total height 254
plinth 13
ceiling minus tilted roof planes 373/322 (l/w)
floor 373-397/548 (l/w)
CW upon entering:
w wall n 155/144 + angle
n wall 373/144 + angle 373/143
e wall n 226/144 + angle
window niche 100/216/24 + window 97/158
e wall s 222/144 + angle
s wall 373/146 + angle 373/124
w wall s 304/144 + angle
w door 94/207
project
Since this room is God's Own Attic—a genuine 'godkamertje', a term Lon Robbé, Joke Robaard and myself used in the early 1990s, for a room where religious inspiration was most present—several plans have been developed but none realized. Its size, its quiet and the light, especially early morning, invite contemplation and study, or rest and meditation. It could be a small drawing room or studio, that can double as a guest room, for who seeks concentration.
Probably in a couple of years, around 2004-5, we will reconsider the use of Moulin space, when the boys' need for more and individual space will manifest itself. At that moment of course the attic rooms are a first choice to house them. In still later years I expect however this room to return as a quiet study, but that period I do not yet want to try to imagine.
[JJK]
1999: fixing a hole in the ceiling
long shadows, a late summer early morning view
|