Sneliusschool

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

In 1931-'32, with an extension in 1933, realised according to a design by W.M. Dudok on an irregular V-shaped ground plan, a SCHOOL BUILDING, named Snelliusschool and originally intended for ULO, erected in bright red brick on a dark-coloured plinth with two blocky, two-storey wings that connect at right angles to the half-cylindrical, forward-projecting stairwell with a facade largely executed in glass bricks on the north-west corner, as well as with a lower, originally intended as a gymnasium, cross-wing on the north-east side, all with flat roofs with light overhanging eaves. The main entrance is located on the north-west corner, at the head of the north-east wing, originally intended for service rooms and special classrooms, and is marked by a canopy and the high-rising chimney. The north facade of this wing contains below a row of low, horizontal windows for the bicycle storage built forward there, and above the canopy a row of horizontal fanlights, the wall mullions of which are clad with yellow tiles; furthermore on the upper storey a vertically articulated window section over virtually the full height and width. The south facade contains below a continuous row of windows separated by six narrow wall mullions and on the upper storey five circular windows with steel glazing bars.

The south-east wing connected at an obtuse angle, with gymnasium, has one high storey. The south-west facade contains eight tall, narrow double doors, above which vertical window strips extend to just below the roof eaves; the remaining facades of this wing are blind, with the exception of the two circular windows in the north-east wing.

The southern wing and the eastern wing with classrooms, added at right angles in 1933 in the same manner, contain on both street fronts, on both storeys, identical, recessed window rows with steel glazing bars and thin wall mullions, whereby the south facade furthermore has a stepped-back, solid wall surface with six narrow, vertical windows on both storeys. On the side of the schoolyard, the facades also have recessed window rows with steel glazing bars and thin wall mullions, whilst on the partially stepped-back upper storey a continuous, slightly overhanging window gallery under a canopy roof is installed, interrupted at the prismatic projections on the north-east corner, behind which the internally placed pillars are clad with yellow tiles. Between this cross-wing and the south-west cross-wing is located the low, semi-open bicycle storage with gate, whereby the canopy is supported by thin steel columns and the wall mullions between the horizontal fanlights are clad with red tiles on the inside, and with yellow tiles on the outside.

Furthermore, plant boxes are partly integrated with the walls, executed in dark brick.

A school building with a design characteristic of the fifth phase in the stylistic development in Dudok's oeuvre, due to the moderately varied application of blocky and half-cylindrical building volumes with characteristic canopy sections, striking chimney, rhythmically articulated window sections and alternating use of material and colour, as such of significance from an architectural history and stylistic point of view.