Handel en kantoor, Tweebaksmarkt 48

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Former BRANCH OFFICE of the life insurance company "Utrecht", built in 1903/04 designed by architects A.J. Kropholler and J.F. Staal. Sculpture by J. Mendes da Costa.

The building is erected in yellow brickwork with plinths, lintels, bands and corner blocks in granite. It is composed of three building volumes; the front section with entrance on the street side, without storey under barrel-vaulted gabled roof; the light turret with storey under tent roof; office space without storey under high-rising, surrounding hipped roof. The roofs are all covered with tiles.

In the front facade two hardstone facade stones; the left with the coat-of-arms of Utrecht; the right with the coat-of-arms of the Netherlands; both flanked by lions as supporters. Under the half-hip in red brick UTRECHT. In left side facade in red brick "LIFE insurance company UTRECHT. The tent roof of the tower is crowned by a group of 4 pelicans. Oak entrance doors with in negative relief THE UTRECHT AT UTRECHT.

Interior: Tile tableau in the draught vestibule with PAX INTRANTIBUS among stylized floral decoration.

Ceiling in hall under light turret is formed by a glazed beam window, which rests on a projecting brick moulding all around. Coats-of-arms of the city of Utrecht painted at intersections of the beams with tubular profile. On the inside of the beams around large central window: Golden rain/come with blessing/To all who took out insurance/At home, they still/do but dally/Since with better savings pot offered. On the floor of the hall a terrazzo floor, depicting a pelican with young, set in circle within square with horseshoes in the corners. To the right of the hall the waiting room with coffered ceiling, in which panels with harmonica profile and whose beams are decorated with didactic maxims.

Natural stone fireplace mantel with maxim applied in relief. From hall to office space door with panels within beading profile with pearls. Upper panels decorated with butterflies within frame with moments from butterfly development and text. In office space coffered ceiling with tubular profile. Along walls a frieze with coats-of-arms of Utrecht with above THE, alternating with coats-of-arms of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Tilburg, Utrecht, Copenhagen, Brussels, Rijssel, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Denmark with above TO.

In the long facades three window openings, left with original leaded glass windows (coats-of-arms of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Tilburg). Above windows tile tableaux with names of head office (end facades) and branch offices. Along the long walls cupboards.