About Sixhill

Located in the heart of The Netherlands, operating worldwide

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Our office

We design, build and renovate luxury villas, residences, apartments, hotels and resorts. We define ourselves as a ‘boutique architecture firm,’ working with a small, dedicated team of motivated architects and interior designers, each bringing their own specific expertise, knowledge, and network to the table. By collaborating closely and maintaining a healthy dose of enthusiasm, we are able to realize projects successfully and efficiently.

We distinguish ourselves through a personal approach, a focus on tailor made craftsmanship, and creativity. In contrast to larger firms, we take on a limited number of commissions to ensure we can give our clients our undivided attention. This allows us to dedicate ourselves fully to high-end residences and luxury interiors that align perfectly with our clients’ lifestyles.

About Sixhill Studio

How
we work

We do more than just design. The journey from initial idea to final result involves many moving parts. We guide our clients through this process, making it simpler, more transparent, and—most importantly—more enjoyable. By listening, thinking along, and presenting various scenarios, we ensure our clients can make well-informed decisions. We work with a structured step-by-step plan, moving from ‘the big picture’ to the fine details—from initial concept design to the production of comprehensive construction drawings.

For our international projects, we collaborate closely with local architects and building consultants. We manage this process through a combination of remote oversight and online meetings. This approach has already led to the successful realization of several prestigious projects abroad.

All architectural drafting and 3D modeling (BIM) are performed in-house. Beyond creating visually stunning artist impressions, ‘virtually building’ the design in advance offers significant advantages: it ensures a higher architectural quality, reduces construction errors (lowering failure costs), and prevents any unpleasant surprises afterwards.

We work with design software that is widely used by architects, interior designers, contractors, and other professionals worldwide. This makes it easy for us to collaborate internationally and work efficiently on projects across different locations.

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Luxe verbouwing Prinsengracht maxim winkelaar 007

Founder

The founder and lead architect of Sixhill Studio is Maxim Winkelaar. Maxim Winkelaar is of Dutch-British descent, developed a keen interest in historic buildings from a young age. It is no coincidence that alongside his studies in building technology and architecture, he delved into architectural history and art history. This combination of academic background and professional experience provides significant added value in recognizing the cultural-historical qualities and design potential of existing structures.

His expansion into modern architecture took shape when he studied Contemporary Architecture at London University as an exchange student. His design was subsequently showcased at the annual student exhibition in London. Following several internships both in The Netherlands and abroad, he graduated from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). Having completed every level of architectural education, Maxim speaks the language of both architectural design and technical execution.

The primary catalyst for starting his own firm was winning an architectural competition. His design, Watergaten®, took first prize and received various architectural nominations internationally. Other competition entries have also been highly regarded by diverse juries. The renovation project Villa JM was nominated for the ECOLA Awards 2015 (European Conference of Leading Architects) in the category ‘Transformation and Reuse’. In 2018, the ‘Canalhouse LO’ project was nominated for the Amsterdam City Renovation Prize. More recently, the firm has won several private competitions, including the renovation of the official residence of the Mayor of Amsterdam.

Maxim Winkelaar’s work has been published worldwide and is featured in the internationally acclaimed book “Reactivate! – Innovators of Dutch Architecture.” He has also delivered lectures in The Netherlands, Germany, Norway, and United Kingdom. Highlights include lectures for the BNA (Dutch Union of Architects) Building of the Year Awards, the EcoBuild trade fair—the world’s largest event for sustainable design—in London, England, and an interview for German television broadcaster ZDF about the history of living on water in the Netherlands, during which he also explained his futuristic housing concept.

For more than 15 years, he has led his own studio, originally established in the heart of Amsterdam and now based in the wooded surroundings of Hilversum, just 25 minutes from the city of Amsterdam. His work spans an international portfolio of projects across The Netherlands, Switzerland, Curaçao and Aruba in the Caribbean, as well as Spain, the United Kingdom and Norway. In addition to his practice, Maxim served as a committee member for the Municipal Board of Architects in Huizen for five years (2013-2017) and was one of the featured architects on the popular Dutch television program “My home made perfect” broadcasted on Dutch TV channel RTL4 and Belgium TV channel (2021-2023).

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Maxim Winkelaar Architect

  • “Sixhill Studio truly listened to our wishes and understood our vision. We are impressed by how they managed to translate the surrounding environment, regulations and our personal requirements into such a unique project.”

    — Ton & Petra, The Netherlands

  • “We had previously worked with Sixhill Studio and it was an easy decision to work with them again. Once again, they have exceeded our expectations with a remarkable design.”

    — Marcel, Curacao

  • “From our very first meeting, we were immediately impressed by the vision and quality of the studio. Sixhill developed a strong design concept for us and carefully refined it in close collaboration with a local architecture firm.”

    — Peter, Norway

  • “We have been working with lead architect Maxim Winkelaar of Sixhill Studio for over 15 years. His clear communication, creativity, and reliability consistently contribute to the success of every project.”

    — Kristy, The Netherlands

Refined Interior Collections

The Netherlands

Refined Interiors Collection

This collection of residential interiors reflects Sixhill Studio’s approach to creating refined, highly tailored living environments. Spanning historic canal houses, city mansions, and detached villas, each project is defined by a careful balance between architectural heritage and contemporary living.

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Wellness Forest Estate

The Netherlands

Wellness Forest Estate

Set within a remarkable estate nearby a national park, surrounded by private woodland, this project redefines the relationship between heritage and contemporary living. Adjacent to a monumental manor, an existing non-original barn is replaced by a refined wellness building, carefully integrated into the landscape.

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Six Contemporary Villas

The Netherlands

Six Contemporary Villas

This curated collection of six exceptional villas, realised across distinctive locations in The Netherlands, reflects a refined approach to contemporary living. Each residence is thoughtfully designed in response to its surroundings, while remaining deeply rooted in the individual character, aspirations, and lifestyle of its client.

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Dive into our
inspiration book

Step inside our world and explore the signature design vision and exclusive projects defining Sixhill Studio. Request our inspiration book to immerse yourself in our architecture—crafted with intention and refined in every detail.

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