A Dutch architect creates a vertical loft of glass, featuring triple-height ceilings and a dumbwaiter to the tub

Architect Hans van Heeswijk built his home—a 2,960-square-foot, four-bedroom, glass-exterior house—on a newly developed artificial island 4 miles from central Amsterdam. Herman Van HEeusden For The Wall Street Journal

High ceilings are a dramatic attraction in any house, but when Dutch architect Hans van Heeswijk recently built his own home—a three-story glass villa in eastern Amsterdam—he took it up a notch. Triple-height ceilings mean a glance from his bedroom to his dining area is 30 feet down.The 2,960-square-foot house, finished in 2011, is on a newly developed artificial island called Rieteiland Oost, about 4 miles east of central Amsterdam. Designed by Mr. van Heeswijk for himself and his wife, Natascha Drabbe, an architectural historian and public-relations professional, the largely wall-less house is in effect a vertical loft.

Mr. van Heeswijk, 62 years old, conceived of the house from the inside out. He wanted to maximize space and emphasize unobstructed views of the western horizon, so he created a floor-to-ceiling service core in the center, concealing ample storage space, three half-bathrooms and a dumbwaiter....Continue Reading

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