Monumental water tower gets second life as small-scale hospitality concept

The polder tower in Emmeloord

Those who check in at the Poldertoren in Emmeloord do not sleep in a standard hotel but in an icon. The former water tower, for years a landmark in the Noordoostpolder, was transformed into a hospitality concept with six luxury suites. Inside, it is not only about views, but also about the special structure of the building itself: round shapes, visible constructions and rooms built around the former water basin.

It was soon clear to entrepreneur Twan Hakvoort that he needed a specialist for the interior design. His collaboration with ESTIDA dates back to 2013, when he took over his parents-in-law's hotel and grand café. “Other parties actually wanted to renovate everything,” he says. “Michel from ESTIDA just said: don't throw everything away, otherwise you will take the soul out of the business. I thought that was strong. We have been working together ever since.”

When the opportunity arose to redevelop the Polder Tower, ESTIDA came back into the picture. “I called out very boldly: we'll turn that into hotel rooms. But a monumental water tower is not an easy building. The outside is hexagonal, inside is a round water barrel and nothing is straight. I knew immediately: I sell cups of coffee, for this project I have to
ESTIDA have.”

Sleeping in a cocoon

According to Hakvoort, the project was not just about the special location. “It was about sleeping in an icon, but it had to stay warm. Not a design room without a soul, which could just as well have been in Amsterdam or Berlin.”

For ESTIDA, the existing structure was the starting point of the design. “Don't gloss over what you have,” says Ruth van Toledo, Director of Design & Development at ESTIDA. “The concrete, the structure and the basin give the building character. Moreover, it also has many advantages, including financial ones, to embrace the characteristic features of the building.”

At the same time, that design presented all kinds of practical challenges. Climate systems, lighting and technology had to be integrated into a monumental, round structure. “Where do you place switches in a round hotel room? These are things that are normally taken for granted,” says Hakvoort. “In the end, they made a kind of cocoon out of the water barrel. You sleep very snugly in the middle, while the outer ring remains open.” 

Big gestures

ESTIDA chose colourblocking, strong material contrasts and individual objects with sufficient scale. “In a space like this, big gestures work better than small interventions,” says Van Toledo. “At the same time, we sought a balance between hard monumental elements and warmth, with fabrics, patterns and flooring.”

The layout also follows the guest's experience. “Bathrooms and sitting areas are on the outer ring in almost every room, so you experience the view and daylight there,” Van Toledo explains. “You can enjoy the view in coloured, freestanding baths. Sleeping, on the other hand, takes place more towards the core, which can be closed with blackout curtains, creating a more intimate atmosphere.”

During construction, the stated choices did not immediately evoke recognition from everyone. Hakvoort laughs: “Installers saw a green bed and yellow wallpaper and wondered what kind of doll's house this was supposed to be.” Yet those doubts turned when everything came together. “A painter who often works with ESTIDA said: every time I think again ‘is this mixed well?’, but in the end the overall picture is always right.”

Visitors also respond strongly to that combination, according to Hakvoort. Around 3,500 people came to see during open days. “Of course people look at the outside first, but then precisely at the design and colours. That interplay makes the rooms their own.”