Hotel ‘t Klooster

In Willemstad, Curaçao, you’ll find the yellow-painted ‘t Klooster Hotel—our largest heritage project to date. We repurposed this 1,200 m² former monastery, transforming it into a vibrant modern hotel while preserving its monumental character.

This colorful project was a challenging restoration project. Bringing daylight back into this heritage was an important starting point.

A short history

In 1886 the congregation of the “Fraters van Zwijssen” came to Curacao to set up primary education. They build the Klooster St. Albertus. After they left the island, in 1987, the building was no longer a monastery. But it served many purposes before it became a hotel. It became a printing company and a book store, for example. In 2007 Lyongo Juliana was asked to develop a plan for the restoration and the transition from monastery to modern hotel.

The hotel is located in Pietermaai, a historic district in Willemstad. Once a narrow strip between the sea and the Waaigat, Pietermaai grew into the island’s cultural heart as Curaçao’s population expanded. By the late 20th century, however, the neighborhood had fallen into decline, plagued by neglect and rising crime. Its fortunes changed after Willemstad was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which sparked a wave of restoration across the area. Pietermaai has since transformed into a vibrant, trendy neighborhood known for its lively atmosphere, colorful architecture, and cultural events.

One notable building was the former monastery, dating back to 1886 built for the “Fraters van Zwijssen”. After they left the island, in 1987, the building was no longer a monastery. It served many purposes before it became a hotel, a printing company and book store for example.

Preserving history

In 2007 we were asked to develop a plan for the restoration and the transition to hotel. Our design approach aimed to retain the building’s historic qualities while sensitively integrating modern Caribbean architectural elements. Additions were always placed in deference to the original structure. Existing door and window openings dictated the new hotel room layouts. By doing so, we did not reverse the entire structure and the monument still remained recognizable.

Daylight

Bringing daylight back into the building was a real necessity. Over time, the building had become a dark ‘dungeon’. To solve this, we installed a deep ‘cavity wall’ on the south and east side to serve as a buffer between the school and the rooms.

This cavity wall is multi-functional. In addition to providing daylight to the building, this cavity wall also houses the bathrooms of the small rooms. In this video you get a sneak peak of the rooms and facilities that Boutique Hotel ‘t Klooster offers.