When glass reflects the history of a unique heritage

Fineo vacuum glazing has settled at the ‘Noblemen’ in Amsterdam

The ultra-insulating performance of Fineo vacuum glazing, which is also the lightest on the market, has not been taken lightly in its important contribution to the renovation of the 17th-century luxury hotel. As much for its aesthetic integration with this exceptional heritage as for its high thermal and acoustic insulation properties, ensuring priority and essential comfort for owner Nils Zandbergen's guests. For Nils Zandbergen, every stay is a unique experience in this landmark of the Dutch Golden Age.

Amsterdam, historically associated with luxury and comfort

As part of its artistic heritage, the capital of the Netherlands boasts almost 9,800 national monuments. The city centre, with its world-famous canal system and typical gabled houses, has been a listed historic monument since 1999 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010. The brick house with its emblematic pediment on Leidsegracht 14 is also an integral part of this classic Dutch architecture. Behind the rather austere façade of ‘The Noblemen’, opened by Niels Zandbergen in 2021, lies one of the city's most remarkable luxury hotels. 

The 17th century is best described as the golden age of this small, flat country that had become a truly global power, with some 15,000 ships plying the seas under the flag of the then young republic around 1670. In the wake of this economic boom, architecture, science and the arts flourished like never before, and religious tolerance attracted people from all walks of life.

The first owner of the typical house, built in 1663 and now known as ‘The Noblemen’, was the wealthy Marseilles marble merchant Isaac Foucquier, who made his fortune through international trade, and parts of whose original marble floor have been preserved. 

The Rembrandt van Rjin room plunges us not only into the history of the famous painter, but also into the sumptuousness of stylised elegance, like the luxurious free-standing copper bathtub. In one corner is a small painter's studio, a showcase for his passion for collections that would eventually ruin him. The name and creative concept of ‘The Noblemen’ are inspired by famous Amsterdam personalities who lived or worked in the Leidsegracht area. Each of the 13 rooms, created under the artistic direction of designer Stef van der Bijl, is dedicated to them, with a selection of exclusive antiques evoking the completeness and nobility of spirit of unique pieces.

Then, as now, building plots along the canals were highly sought-after and very expensive, and taxes were paid according to the width of the buildings. That's why narrow, tall and slender buildings were favoured. At the back, there was usually a stairwell, a back shop and a small garden.

High insulation value, a must for pleasantly cool summers

To achieve the high level of comfort envisaged, Nils Zandbergen and his team had to make a number of changes to the existing building. As the owner specifies, ‘We didn't want air conditioning, but rather to create the natural conditions for an authentic and serene atmosphere in the rooms. And as using fans was out of the question, we opted for underfloor cooling’.

However, this natural form of cooling requires good thermal insulation, without which it cannot function effectively and becomes very energy-consuming, particularly on very hot days and in scorching weather. ‘In this context, the extreme thinness of Fineo insulating glass was an important and decisive factor for us,’ reports Edwin van Westen, director of the ToekomstGroup subsidiary of the construction company. ‘At just 6.5 mm thick, it has the same insulation coefficient of 0.7 as 32 mm triple glazing! In addition to its good thermal properties, it also offers excellent acoustic insulation of up to 45 dBA’.

Tailor-made profiles to match listed windows

Whether in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany or France, historic monument status generally brings with it the same challenges when it comes to restoring windows throughout Europe. For the authorities responsible for historic monuments, it is above all a question of respecting and preserving the original structure of the building; and if it proves impossible to conserve the existing glazing, the façades must at least be restored to their original appearance.

However, even the strictest advocates of heritage preservation remain aware that the judicious and economical use of such a building must unquestionably be accompanied by energy renovation. In practice, the compromise when it comes to existing windows is generally to renovate them and improve their energy efficiency rather than make new ones. If the glazing does not refer to the historical importance of mouth-blown cylindrical glass or laminated glass, for example, then new insulating glass is permitted in most cases. It must, however, be installed in the existing frames without interfering with the restoration of the window if this is part of a heritage protection scheme.

For houses along Amsterdam's canals, instructions have been given to prefer laminated glass to float glass, unless the latter is original. On the Noblemen Street façade, Fineo vacuum insulating glazing was combined with restoration glass, as can be seen when you walk past the undulating effect of this typical façade.

‘The building's many sloping windows also presented a real challenge,’ says Edwin van Westen. ‘The glazing had to be measured very precisely and then made to measure in the workshop. We were impressed with the result: thanks to its thinness, we were able to fit the Fineo glass directly into the rebate, without the need for milling, which saved us a lot of time and man-hours.

Stefan Lips, Sales Director for Fineo Europe, comments: ‘With Fineo, “The Noblemen” have made a sustainable choice for many decades to come. As the vacuum is permanently sealed between two sheets of glass, it retains its thermal insulation performance throughout its lifespan of at least 60 years! We produce Fineo exclusively in Belgium and are the only supplier to offer ETA certification and a 20-year guarantee.