Botenhuis Bosbaan

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

BOATHOUSE WITH STANDING TRIBUNE ON THE ROOF, belonging to the Bosbaan in the Amsterdamse Bos which was laid out in the 1930s of the 20th century as part of a public works scheme. In 1934 work began on the construction of the rowing course. The boathouse is situated at the eastern end of the rowing course and has a convex form. The building is partly set into the embankment which forms the division between the lower-lying rowing course (-3.8 metres) and the higher-lying forest edge (-0.5 metres). The building was constructed around 1936 and was designed by engineer P. van Niftrik, employed by the Public Works Department of Amsterdam. The end facades are built in expressive brickwork. Around 1976 the boathouse was enlarged, whereby the left and right building sections (with the changing rooms) were widened with a ring extension. By means of the ring extension the standing tribune on the roof was also enlarged.

Description

Boathouse on a curved ground plan, with the convex west side facing the rowing course and the concave side set into an embankment. The boathouse has a symmetrical layout and consists of one storey under a flat roof, which serves as a standing tribune. The standing tribune is accessible from the rowing course via two staircases on either side of the boathouse. From the forest edge the standing tribune is accessible via steps with a few risers. The boathouse has a concrete structure, clad with brick on the exterior, lined with a mortar layer on the interior. The convex front facade of the boathouse (W) originally has a total width of twenty-one bays. The slightly recessed central section has a width of seven bays, the flanking facade sections originally also each had a width of seven bays. The central section contains a boat shed in each bay. The sheds have a width of approximately 6 metres and a depth of approximately 25 metres. The front facade of the sheds is partly filled with brick, partly with doors (originally revolving doors with glass panels). In the interior the walls between the sheds are provided with large steel rod windows with bevelled top corners. Between the windows are concrete pillars. The sheds are connected to each other by steel doors in the partition walls. In the projecting facade sections on either side of the central section the bays originally contain steel access doors and high-placed continuous windows. The front facade is divided horizontally by a continuous concrete canopy, which is supported at regular intervals (per bay width) by an octagonal concrete column. The facade is closed above the canopy by a brick parapet, on which an iron railing is placed. On the roof is the tiled standing tribune. The end facades (N and S) built in brick consist of rectangles of various sizes and heights. The highest rising section is a brick chimney in the centre of both end facades. Parallel to both end facades is a second brick wall, also consisting of rectangles of various sizes and heights. Between the two parallel walls is a staircase which leads from the rowing course level to the level of the standing tribune. At the level of the standing tribune is an access gate with railings.

Valuation

The boathouse of the Bosbaan in the Amsterdamse Bos is of general importance from an architectural and cultural-historical point of view as a well-preserved example of a boathouse built in an expressionist style with standing tribune on the roof from the 1930s of the twentieth century. The object has group value in association with the associated rowing course and as a historical-functional component of the Amsterdamse Bos laid out as a public works scheme.