Jachtslot Mookerheide

Jachtslot Mookerheide is located at the Landgoed Mookerheide. Between 1902 and 1905, Jan Jacob Luden, a descendant of wealthy bankers, commissioned the construction of the hunting lodge. In line with the design of Oscar Leeuw, the building is a real 'Gesamtkunstwerk'. The architecture and the interior are, therefore, closely linked. In 2001 the building was designated as a national monument due to its rich history. The lodge was originally characterized by its Jugendstil elements. Which were, for example, used on the façade of the building. These multicolored decorations were covered with layers of glue, tile adhesive, primer, plaster, cement and paint around the 1970s. The result? A vapor-sealed layer that caused major constructional problems. 

It was up to us to help restore the façades to their former glory. In collaboration with the construction company Van Dinther and commissioned by Natuurmonumenten. We produced more than 35,000 mosaic tiles for the Jugendstil tableaus. The former tiles were light blue, yellow, green, dark blue, purple, dark green and brown. Based on Koninklijke Tichelaar's long-reaching experience in developing glazes, seven different variants were produced. Considering the increasing importance of durability, they had to be an exact copy of the tiles that were already applied to the building. As some of the former tiles could be reused and therefore were complemented by the new ones. A careful research process preceded this process to exactly match the existing colors. For example, different ways of pouring the glaze on the tiles were tested. As well as the effect of different layer thicknesses of the glaze and fire temperatures. The tiles were eventually baked in the predefined colors at a firing temperature of approximately 1050 °C. The first results show that the colorful elements give the building the stature it deserves.