The Gentiaan neighbourhood dates from the 1920s and has been designated as a conservation area. Not long ago the area was in a state of neglect. The southeastern part, designed by Van Gendt and Kleinhout, has been extensively renovated in recent years and the houses now look just as beautiful as they did when they were first completed a hundred years ago, with fully renovated homes for social tenants that meet modern living standards.

The area largely derives its urban development qualities from its architectural features, such as the detailing of the wooden window frames and gutter mouldings, high bay windows with wooden facade paneling, turrets, dormer windows, arcade arches and striking shop fronts. However, the past century had left its mark on the neighbourhood. During the war, a number of buildings were destroyed and later rebuilt. Shops became homes, and some homes were converted into shops. Architectural details were lost due to renovations, for example by replacing wooden window frames with plastic ones.

In order to preserve and restore the architectural qualities of the district as much as possible, guidelines were drawn up in consultation with the city’s preservation committee which covered repair, replacement or renewal of each architectural element. Historical research uncovered the original paint colors and the houses have regained their original colors from the 1920s.

The homes are now future-proof with a modern layout, a more spacious bathroom and a good kitchen. Insulating the relatively small homes proved to be a challenge, due to the monumental exterior and the insulation had to be installed on the inside. The homes have been upgraded from label E/F to A/A+. Heating and hot water are provided by the district heating network and mechanical ventilation has been installed. This makes this the first natural gas-free pre-war neighbourhood in Amsterdam.