Amsterdam School Buildings in Amsterdam

Introduction

The Amsterdam School is a style of architecture that developed in the early 1910s in the Dutch capital and remained influential in the entire Netherlands until the early 1930s. It is usually seen as a variant of Expressionist architecture, particularly Brick Expressionism. Its architects drew influence from various sources, such as the Arts and Crafts movement, Art Nouveau, the works of Frank Lloyd Wright, and Art Deco. In the Dutch context, it came into being as a reaction to the sober Traditionalist architecture of Hendrik Berlage.

Buildings of the Amsterdam School are predominantly made of bricks, with complicated decorative masonry and diverse textures. The façades are highly plastic, showing rounded and organic forms. Various materials are used, both outside and inside, most notably wrought iron and stained glass. The abundance of architectural sculpture is another very common feature. It was one of the last styles that relied so much on ornament. Despite the decorative exuberance, the buildings often feel calm and composed.

The most important architects of the Amsterdam School were Joan van der Mey, Michel de Klerk and Piet Kramer. The main sculptor of the style was Hildo Krop. All of them contributed to the design of the Shipping House (1913-1916), an office building for Amsterdam’s leading shipping companies. This structure is considered to be the starting point of the movement.

The style was often used in the design of public structures, such as offices, schools and bridges. It was also widely applied in the housing estates for the working class, most notably in the new districts of Amsterdam South and Amsterdam West. The most important apartment blocks designed in the style of the Amsterdam School are the Schip building (De Klerk, 1917-1921) and the Dageraad complex (De Klerk and Kramer, 1918-1923).

Even though the style originated in Amsterdam, where its most important examples are located, it also had a profound effect on the architecture of a number of other Dutch cities. Groningen and Utrecht stand out for the quantity of the Amsterdam School buildings. The most important individual examples outside the Dutch capital are the Main Post Office of Utrecht (Joseph Crouwel, 1919-1924) and the Bijenkorf department store in The Hague (Kramer, 1926). The influence of the style was also visible in the Dutch East Indies.

The Amsterdam School was not only a style of architecture. It was also applied in other fields of art, such as furniture design. The movement also had its own magazine called Wendingen, famous for its cover illustrations and typography. Its editor-in-chief was Hendrik Wijdeweld. It appeared from 1918 to 1932.

In the compilation of these portfolios, my main source was the website of Museum Het Schip, also called Wendingen. This great website provides more detailed information and more photos about the mentioned buildings.

Sites

Below I will introduce 35 structures of the Amsterdam School in the Dutch capital.

Shipping House (Het Scheepvaarthuis) | Prins Hendrikkade 108-114 | first phase: Joan Melchior van der Mey, Adolf Daniël Nicolaas & Johan Godart van Gendt, 1913-1916; second phase: Joan Melchior van der Mey & Jacobus Johannes Bernardus Franswa, 1926-1928
Police station on Buiksloterweg | Buiksloterweg 9b | 1915-1916
Amsterdams Lyceum | Valeriusplein 15 | Herman Ambrosius Jan Baanders & Jan Baanders, 1917-1922
Building of the Municipal Tram Service | Stadhouderskade 1 | Pieter Lucas Marnette, 1921-1923
Fourth Crafts School (Het Sieraad) | Postjesweg 1 | Arend Jan Westerman, 1921-1924
First Public Higher Civic School | Pieter Lodewijk Takstraat 34 | Arend Jan Westerman, 1921-1924
Jewish Bathhouse on Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat | Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 112-116 | 1923
Extension of the Third City Hall | Oudezijds Voorburgwal, 197-199 | Nicolaas Lansdorp & Allard Remco Hulshoff, 1923-1926
Traffic Department of the Police | Overtoom 37-43 | Pieter Lucas Marnette, 1924
Public Works Department: Sewerage and Bridges | Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 57-59 | 1925
Municipal Lyceum for Girls | Reijnier Vinkeleskade 62 | Nicolaas Lansdorp & Bernard Lubbers, 1925-1926
School Building on Jan Maijenstraat | Jan Maijenstraat 11-17 | J.W. Frantzen, 1925-1928
Olympic Stadium | Olympisch Stadion 2 | Jan Wils, 1927-1928
Jerusalem Church | Jan Maijenstraat 14 | Ferdinand Bernardus Jantzen, 1928-1929
Bethel Church | Vasco da Gamastraat 35 | Ernst Adolf Christiaan Roest, 1928-1929
Community Building of the Oostzaan Garden City (Zonnehuis) | Zonneplein 29, 30 & 30A | Johannes Mulder or Jakoba Helena Mulder, 1932
Hille House | Gabriël Metsustraat 22-34 & Nicolaas Maesstraat 32-34 | Michel de Klerk, 1911-1912
Yellow Block | Spaarndammerplantsoen 33-103, Zaanstraat 197-204 & Wormerveerstraat 17-19 | Michel de Klerk, 1914-1918
Het Schip | Oostzaanstraat 1-93, Hembrugstraat 257-305, Zaanstraat 209-239 & Spaarndammerplantsoen | Michel de Klerk, 1917-1921
De Dageraad | original blocks (east): Pieter Lodewijk Takstraat 1-31, Burgemeester Tellegenstraat 130-198, Talmastraat 1-12, Henriëtte Ronnerstraat 2-42 & Henriëtte Ronnerplein 46-110; extension blocks (east): Henriëtte Ronnerstraat 44-54 & Henriëtte Ronnerplein 2-44; original blocks (west): Pieter Lodewijk Takstraat 2-32, Burgemeester Tellegenstraat 60-128, Willem Passtoorsstraat 26-36, Thérèse Schwartzestraat 1-13 & Thérèse Schwartzeplein 15-33; extension blocks (west): Thérèse Schwartzestraat 15-17 & Thérèse Schwartzeplein 1-13 | original blocks: Michel de Klerk & Pieter Lodewijk Kramer, 1918-1923; extension blocks: Pieter Lodewijk Kramer, 1926-1931
Apartment block on Lutmastraat, Mauvestraat, Talmastraat & Burgemeester Tellegenstraat | Lutmastraat 136-178, Mauvestraat 2-14, Talmastraat 1-43 & Burgemeester Tellegenstraat 200-230 | Arnoldus Ulricus Ingwersen & Tjeerd Kuipers, 1919-1923
Apartment block on Amstelveenseweg, Olympiakade, Turnerstraat, Sportstraat, Olympiaweg & Stadionweg | Amstelveenseweg 215-255, Olympiakade 52-60, Turnerstraat 2-10, Sportstraat 22-74, Olympiaweg 122-126 & Stadionweg 322-334 | Arnoldus Ulricus Ingwersen, Tjeerd Kuipers & Ernst Adolph Christiaan Roest, 1919-1923
Apartment blocks on Vrijheidslaan, Kromme Mijdrechtstraat & Meerhuizenplein | Vrijheidslaan 8-46 & 48-54, Kromme Mijdrechtstraat 1-3 & 2-4, Meerhuizenplein 7-11 & 34-38 | Michel de Klerk, 1921-1923
Apartment blocks on Vrijheidslaan, Vechtstraat & Rijnstraat | Vrijheidslaan 56-78 & 80-88, Vechtstraat 58 & 61, Rijnstraat 59 | Jouke Zietsma, 1921-1923
Apartment block on Bronckhorststraat, Bartholomeus Ruloffsstraat & Johan M. Coenenstraat | Bronckhorststraat 11-37, Bartholomeus Ruloffstraat 15-19 & Johan M. Coenenstraat 8-24 | Jan Frederik Staal, 1922-1923
Cooperative Court | Coöperatiehof 1-35, Burgemeester Tellegenstraat 1-59, Henrick de Keijserplein 22-54 & Lutmastraat 134 | Pieter Lodewijk Kramer, 1923-1928
Apartment block with shops on Van Speijkstraat | Van Speijkstraat 119-161 | Jouke Zietsma, 1924
Oldenhoeck Apartment Building | Jacob Obrechtstraat 67 | Philip Anne Warners, 1924-1926
Lydia House | Roelof Hartplein 2 & Johan M. Coenenstraat 2 | Jan Boterenbrood, 1924-1927
Apartment block on Concertgebouwplein & Jan Willem Brouwersstraat | Concertgebouwplein 2-16 & Jan Willem Brouwersstraat 3-25 | Ernst Adolph Christiaan Roest, 1925-1929
Het Nieuwe Huis | Roelof Hartplein 50, Roelof Hartstraat 4-10, Johan M. Coenenstraat 1 & Gerard Terborgstraat 44-46 | Barend van den Nieuwen Amstel Jr., 1927-1928
Bridge No. 283 (Waalseiland Bridge) | Joan Melchior van der Mey, 1913-1915
Bridge No. 400 (Bridge of P. L. Kramer) | Pieter Lodewijk Kramer, 1917-1921
Bridge No. 174 (Leiden Bridge) | Pieter Lodewijk Kramer, 1917-1925
Bridge No. 410 (Lyceum Bridge) | Pieter Lodewijk Kramer, 1927-1928
Theater Tuschinski | Reguliersbreestraat 26-28 | Hijman Louis de Jong & Christiaan Bartels, 1919-1921
Mailboxes of the Municipal Giro Service | eastern entrance to the Westerpark | Pieter Lucas Marnette, 1918.
Museum Het Schip