Personal Architecture

Stayokay Hostel Soest

Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit

STAYOKAY HOSTEL SOEST

Personal Architecture

ARCHITECTS
Personal Architecture: Personal Architecture BNA - Maarten Polkamp, Sander van Schaik

PHOTOGRAPHS
René de Wit

AREA
1.92 m²

YEAR
2012

LOCATION
Soest, The Netherlands

CATEGORY
Hostel

Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit

Friday May 4th 2012 the completely renovated Stayokay hostel welcomed its first visitors. Personal Architecture designed this hostel in the woods near Soest in The Netherlands The existing, oudated building is transformed into a modern, light and above all inviting hostel.

Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit
Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit

Structures from three different eras of the last century, together with a new restaurant have been combined into a square surrounding a patio.

Floating terraces, integrating existing trees, and the optimized sight to the surrounding forest, make the hostel a guest in the forest.

Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit
Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit

Personal Architecture worked with Stayokay before on hostels in Valkenswaard, The Hague and Utrecht-Bunnik. In 2009 they delivered the hostel in the famous cube-houses in Rotterdam.

EXISTING HOSTEL

The existing hostel, originally a school with schoolmaster's house, was severely outdated. All kinds of built structures from all kinds of periods resulted in a disjointed collection of objects.

Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit
Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit

The terrain was very cluttered, there was little outward visibility, the entrance was blocked on the side and the schoolmaster's house was not used.

Demolition of the existing 'central building', a dark and low-grade structure from the sixties, generates light, air and space for the other buildings. A square shape is designed, surrounding a private, serene patio. Walkways in the patio form the link between the main building, the new wing, the conference building and the dormitory.

Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit
Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit

The individual buildings that form the square differ from each other in terms of construction, size, material and appearance.

The ensemble is joined together by the new wing, a pergola and wooden slat screens. In order to further strengthen the unity, all facades are covered with vertical wooden Douglas parts, with the exception of the historical buildings.

The main building, dating from the early twentieth century, is restored to its former glory. The brick building sticks out a bit in relation to the rest of the ensemble and is in all respects the new heart of the hostel:

Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit
Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit

here are the main entrance, reception, lounge, kitchen and café. A large atrium with a new mezzanine provides spatial dynamics and sufficient capacity when busy.


Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit
Stayokay Hostel Soest
© René de Wit


Stayokay Hostel Soest
Ground Floor Plan
Stayokay Hostel Soest
1st Floor Plan


Stayokay Hostel Soest
Diagram 01
Stayokay Hostel Soest
Diagram 02
Stayokay Hostel Soest
Diagram 03
Stayokay Hostel Soest
Diagram 04
Stayokay Hostel Soest
Diagram 05
Stayokay Hostel Soest
Diagram 06
Stayokay Hostel Soest
Diagram 07
Stayokay Hostel Soest
Lanscaping


Stayokay Hostel Soest
New Footprint
Stayokay Hostel Soest
Old Footprint

Personal Architecture
T +31 10 8865093
Personal Architecture
Goudsesingel 230, 3011 KE Rotterdam, Netherlands