Velox / Zuiderbad

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

Introduction

The former cycle school 'Velox', established in 1898, now swimming bath 'Zuiderbad'. The client for the construction of the cycle school was W. Vrolijk. The school was built to a design by architect J. Ingenohl. Built in transitional architecture.

The cycle school existed until 1908. Thanks to a renovation in 1911, to a design by J. Stuyt and E. Verschuijl, the building received its new function as 'Zuiderbad' in 1912. Many parts of the interior of the swimming facility have been well preserved. The 'Zuiderbad' also still has limited bathing house facilities. The whole can be divided into a large north-south-oriented longitudinal building, a front building on the north side and a small quarter-round corner building to the northeast. These three components are linked. The last-mentioned component was previously a showroom, lunchroom and bicycle storage.

The original main entrance was enlarged in 1946.

Description

A building mass designed on a composite rectangular ground plan in predominantly orange-coloured brick. The whole stands on a slightly projecting very low brick plinth with natural stone accents.

The building can be divided into three linked parts.

The large north-south-oriented longitudinal building or hall contained the former exercise room of the cycle school; it now contains the swimming pool tank placed on the floor of the exercise room. A staircase connects the entrance in the front building with the now higher-situated access to the actual swimming pool. The hall is covered by a gabled roof. On the east side the gabled roof is interrupted by inset gabled roofs of two bays raised and emphasised with gables. On the southeast corner of the left roof panel a tall tapering chimney with bands and overhanging chimney cap. Small brick chimney on right roof panel.

The front façade of the hall, partly screened by the front building, consists of a blunt stepped gable with nine steps on either side; the fourth and seventh steps are wider than the others. Steps are concluded with hipped roof form. In the centre a higher raised gable top section. Entirely at the top a rectangular and overhanging conclusion on brick corbel with consoles and profile moulding and brick ornamental moulding. On either side of the raised gable top section a pilaster with capping plate. Below the corbel a large relieving field under round arch. Brick tracery with profiled bars and pilasters and natural stone cross pieces. Round arch surrounded by brick and toothed ornamental moulding. At the lower side of the relieving field filling of decorative brickwork in geometric patterns. At the lower side of the steps of the stepped gable rising brick frieze consisting of decorative three-lobed forms and ornamental moulding on corbels or imitated rafter heads. On the corners of the façade a corner pilaster with overhanging top and capping plate. Façade area further with courses in yellow brick and with broad band with ornamental brickwork in yellow brick. Two small windows on the left side.

The nine bays wide façade on the east side or left side façade shows two storeys. Horizontal articulation through courses executed in yellow brick. Vertical articulation through pilasters placed between the bays which with a rectangular and brick construction with capping plate project through the eaves line. At ground floor level windows with predominantly cross-shaped glazing bars. Brick bevelled undersill. Brick and toothed running frame with segmental arch in yellow brick. Natural stone corner stones. Filling of arch drum in orange and yellow brick in various geometric patterns. At this level also five entrances under two- or three-pane fanlights. Entrances have different appearances. Windows at upper floor level have six-pane tracery in broad and profiled bars and stiles. Window at far left has additional pivoting or flap window. Running frame, segmental arches, filling of arch drums and sills as at window at ground floor level. Eaves line accentuated with a frieze as at rising frieze of the front façade.

The third and seventh bays are raised higher and have a top gable. This façade is pointed-arch shaped. Flanked on either side by the continuation of the pilaster. In this construction a lobed niche with profiled sill. The pointed-arch form further interrupted by a step with hipped roof form conclusion. Entirely above a rectangular conclusion with capping plate. In the gable top rising and narrow and lobed relieving fields, like a rising arch frieze. Further sills, natural stone accents and ornamental brickwork in geometric patterns executed in yellow brick.

The south façade or rear façade consists of a blunt stepped gable with nine steps on either side; the fourth and seventh steps are wider than the others. Steps are concluded with hipped roof form. In the centre a higher raised gable top section. On either side of this the upper part of two pilasters rising from ground level. Upper part with natural stone accent and brick corbelling. Between these top pieces a straight frieze as at rising frieze of the front façade. In the centre of this frieze a rectangular coping on corbel with console and profile moulding. Stepped and recessed lying round relieving field. Below the corbel a large relieving field under round arch. Brick tracery with profiled bars and natural stone cross pieces. At the lower side of the steps of the stepped gable rising brick frieze as at front façade. On the corners of the façade a corner pilaster with overhanging top with battlement and capping plates. At ground floor level three windows with glazing bars. Brick and toothed running frame with segmental arch in yellow brick. Natural stone corner stones. Filling of arch drum in orange and yellow brick in geometric patterns. Windows at upper floor level constructed from two separate windows with glazing bars; in between a brick section. Similar frames as at mentioned windows, now without geometric patterns in the filling of the arch drums. Façade area further with courses in yellow brick.

The west façade or right side façade is constructed in accordance with the east façade or left side façade. At the west façade the raised third and seventh bays are absent, the frieze below the eaves line, the geometric patterns in the brick filling of the arch drums and probably the large number of access doors at ground floor level. The timber gable finish is straight, with a single profile.

The front building contains the main entrance and some office rooms. Placed on a rectangular ground plan centrally against the front façade of the hall. Flat roof. The front façade shows two storeys. At ground floor level the entrance arrangement is situated in the centre. Recent double hinged entrance door. Above it articulated fanlight with four panes. Profiled and worked tracery. On either side a stepped window with glazing bars and frosted glass. Above flanking windows and fanlights of entrance door a segmental arch with tiled panel in arch drum. Representation with wave frieze and text 'Zuiderbad'. Natural stone accents and decorative use of yellow brick. On either side of the entrance arrangement a broad and articulated window with three lower panes and three fanlights with glazing bars. Above these three relieving arches. Decoratively brick-laid fields in arch drums. Narrow architrave moulding with consoles. The left window has narrow brick stiles with some natural stone bands and differently shaped consoles. On the left side a recently added entrance door. On the upper floor three windows. Form and execution corresponding to the windows of the ground floor. The lower panes and the fanlights are now higher. The centre window has two lower panes and fanlights. Centre bay concluded with a blunt stepped gable rising slightly above the remaining façade finish. Three-part profiled brick ornamental moulding above frieze with decorative brickwork. Façade area further with brick ornamental bands in yellow brick. On the northeast corner a short and squat brick colonette with capital and console. The east façade or left side façade shows on the upper floor a window with three lower panes and fanlights as on the upper floor of the front façade. The west façade or right side façade shows on the upper floor two windows with three lower panes and fanlights as on the upper floor of the front façade. On the corner between east and north façade at the eaves line there is a diagonally placed small 'false arch'. Profiled dome, brick construction with narrow relieving niche with tripartite conclusion, rectangular further construction with capping plate, use of yellow and orange brick, as well as natural stone. On the flat roof on the southern corners of the side façades and against the front façade of the hall placed, two posts with worked coping and notched corners.

The small quarter-round corner building has a flat roof and consists of one storey. It is located in the northeast corner at the hall and front building. Centrally a double hinged wooden door with windows; above the lower panel two six-pane

fanlights. On either side a kinked and double window with lower panes and six-pane fanlight. Above the fanlight a narrow architrave, above which ornamental brickwork executed arch drum filling under round arch. Under-sills, courses in yellow brick and a frieze with decorative brickwork under simple profiled brick band under very low brick parapet.

The interior of the swimming pool still contains a number of well-preserved components. On the south side there is a fountain with city coat of arms and tile decoration. Further wooden changing cubicles at the pool edge and on the balustrades parts of original railwork. Also the original iron roof truss structure remains.

Valuation

Sports building in transitional architecture of general importance because of its architectural and cultural-historical and rare typological value. Interior is characteristic and gives a good picture of a swimming facility from the beginning of this century. Main form and detailing have been reasonably well preserved.