Mineralogisch-Geolog.Instituut

English translation

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Description

Introduction SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTE, as well as the adjacent Physical Laboratory entirely freestanding situated on the grounds of the demolished western fortification works (the 'Kranedwinger'), bounded by the Melkweg, the Westersingel and the Verlengde Visserstraat, built as Mineralogical-Geological Institute with museum in 1898-1901 on commission of J.C. Hübscher on behalf of the State of the Netherlands after design by national architect J. van Lokhorst in the style of neo-gothic. The park-like grounds are largely surrounded by a wrought-iron fence from the period of construction. In the years 1950-1960 a basement was excavated; on the ground floor a lowered ceiling was installed; on the attic storey a number of rooms were panelled and the wooden amphitheatre in the lecture hall was replaced by a new one with a renewed balcony. These alterations and later structures on the grounds are excluded from protection. Despite these alterations, the building has retained its very monumental character well. The building is currently temporarily in use as residential space pending a new (educational) function. The museum hall with the original oak-wood display cabinets houses the geological, palaeontological and mineralogical collections, which upon sale of the building will find a new home (?). Description The three-storey building, with basement, is constructed on an L-shaped floor plan and consists of a square laboratory and teaching section under a hipped roof, of which the west facade is parallel to the Melkweg, and a rectangular museum wing under a gabled roof with large-format stepped gables. The museum wing has along the eaves in the front and rear facades a series of six small stepped gablelets. All roofs are laid with slate and have characteristic wooden roof dormers. Against the north-west corner of the laboratory section is placed a heavy, round corner tower with pyramidal roof, spiral staircase and narrow, tall pointed-arch windows with trefoil tracery and leaded glass. The facades are constructed of reddish-brown brick and enlivened with band courses of yellow glazed brick and ornamental wrought-iron wall anchors. The main entrance in the west facade consists of a heavy double wooden panel door with a profiled, natural stone surround and pointed-arch-shaped fanlight with natural stone tracery; on either side natural stone plaques with Latin inscriptions. At the south-west corner a rectangular entrance portal with pointed-arch openings and two pairs of coupled natural stone columns. Above this is a balcony with a brick, open balustrade and French doors under an iron canopy with glass covering. On the second storey the large lecture hall and library are clearly recognisable in the exterior architecture: the lecture hall has large pointed-arch windows in the side and rear facades; the library forms a higher constructed building block crowned by a steep hipped roof, which internally is divided into three, low storage storeys. Against the south-east corner of this building section is placed a slender round stair tower with a pyramidal roof. Next to this on the first storey a characteristic rectangular oriel window, resting on an iron console and natural stone base. The storeys are illuminated by tall, narrow pointed-arch windows with flamboyant-gothic tracery and leaded glass. All windows are regularly distributed over the facade surface and are alternately straight-headed (cross windows) or have the form of pointed-arch windows of varying size. The cross windows have natural stone lintels and sills and relieving arches of alternating red and yellow glazed brick. The reveals of windows and doors are, through the use of brick profile stones, provided with a moulding. The grounds are largely bordered by wrought-iron fencing from the period of construction. Internally are among others of importance the spacious, vaulted monumental hall with ribbed vaults, the leaded glass windows, the staircases in the towers with leaded glass windows, the still present beam ceilings and original wooden panel doors in most rooms, the lecture hall with leaded glass windows and the museum hall in its original condition with display cabinets on the attic storey with a special roof truss structure of iron and wood. Valuation Scientific institute with largely original interior, realised on the western fortification works demolished at the end of the nineteenth century, of general importance because of its cultural-historical and architectural-historical value because of the exceptional architectural quality of the design in the style of neo-gothic - one of the highlights in the oeuvre of national architect J. van Lokhorst -, and the carefully considered choice and application of materials in the facades and interior. Moreover, the building is of importance for the history of scientific education in Groningen. By its emphatic formal design and dimensions the building is moreover a leading element in its surroundings.