Open Muur Architects

In 2021, we bought an ugly duckling on a beautiful street in a fantastic location. But how to bring this house back into its former glory? That was a serious challenge. The building was situated on a historic street right next to the old town center. For many residents of the center and involved Culemborg residents, the building had been an eyesore for years. A unique opportunity to put its history right, but how do we go about it all? We launched a mini-competition among several architects by commissioning several sketches. Based on these, we awarded the contract to MN Architects. The result continues to amaze us more and more. And thankfully, not just for us; not a weekend goes by without people admiring the building with plenty of compliments. The color scheme, the materials used—it has ultimately become a feast for the eyes. Moreover, the home is also very functional and comfortable to live in, which is also important. Maarten has an undeniable sense of space, color, form, and relationship to the surroundings, and he thoroughly understands the considerations the monument committee makes with a sensitive design like this one. At crucial moments, he also pushed through the desired changes to ultimately secure a permit. As mentioned, we had several architects review the project, and Maarten from MN Architects was the only one who had delved deeply into the history of the site and the house! And he incorporated that into the design of our house! The collaboration between us, with the contractor, and with Maarten was very pleasant throughout the entire project. We would definitely recommend MN Architects!

We are very satisfied with the collaboration and the final result with Maarten. The contact with Maarten is very pleasant; he listens carefully to our requirements and wishes and also contributes interesting ideas of his own. He also has a good network with excellent contractors and furniture makers. The final result is fantastic, and we enjoy it every day.

We are incredibly satisfied with our collaboration with Maarten and his team. From the first meeting, we felt our needs were carefully considered. The plans presented were well-thought-out, creative, and perfectly aligned with our ideas and wishes. The personal guidance throughout the entire process was excellent. Maarten always took the time to discuss all the options with us and was always available for questions. We were also able to utilize his network to find the contractor for the renovation, which saved us a lot of time and gave us great confidence. I highly recommend MN architects to everyone!

In 2019, we renovated our house in Amersfoort with the pleasure and expertise of Maarten. He has extensive knowledge of light, space, and the use of materials. Our house, with its extension, is connected to the garden, and we still enjoy that to this day. Thanks to my architect.

Our terraced house was starting to feel cramped with three growing children. We needed more space and more privacy in the living room. We tried to design the ground floor layout with the extension ourselves, but we couldn't figure it out. We enlisted Maarten's help, and he came up with some surprising layouts, and with the help of 3D drawings, we quickly found the ideal one. He has an eye for beautiful details; with materials, colors, light, and furnishings, he made our living dreams a reality! We were also able to tap into his network, which saved us the trouble of searching for a contractor and furniture maker. We are thrilled with the final result of our ground floor: a spacious central kitchen/diner, a bright garden-facing sitting area, a utility room, and a workspace with a chill-out area.