Gemeentehuis

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 TOWN HALL of Katwijk in the style of functionalist Expressionism with associated ACCESS GATE built in 1932 to a prize-winning design from the Rotterdam architect partnership B. Hooykaas and M. Lockhorst. The same architects also designed the interior, including the furnishings for the representative spaces. The original interior has been partially well preserved and is still recognisable. The stained-glass windows, which were manufactured by Atelier De Lint from Delft, were designed by the artist Paul Blom who also created the wall paintings in the building. The Katwijk contractors A.J. and Abr. Ouwehand carried out the work.

NB In 1929 the municipal government of Katwijk organised a design competition for a new town hall. From the 121 entries, a jury of three architects (W. Verschoor, A.P. Smits and H. v.d. Kloot Meijburg) selected the design by Hooykaas and Lockhorst. The functionalist-expressionist architectural style is indirectly inspired by the architecture of the American architect F.L. Wright, which is characterised by protruding and recessed block-shaped building masses under overhanging roofs. Horizontality dominates in the window sequences, steps and balconies and the striking gutter lines painted in cream colour. The tower as a vertical element is a reference to the architecture of W.M. Dudok, as is the use of narrow brickwork and the recessed joint.

The composite building volume of the town hall reveals the different functions of the building. The raised protruding building body contains the representative spaces; the entrance hall with staircase, offices of the mayor and secretary and the council chamber. To the right of the entrance the single-storey wedding room and to the left the office section with counter function on the ground floor, flanked by the tower. On the Julianalaan side the former caretaker's residence which was converted in 1973 to office spaces. The L-shaped wing built at the rear in 1973 is of subordinate importance for protection purposes.

The town hall stands on landscaped grounds surrounded by low garden walls at the corner of the Zeeweg and the Julianalaan. The front facade with the main entrance borders the Zeeweg. Around the building a garden with lawn and a round pond with fountain, enclosed by a low brick wall with simple wooden access gates. The main entrance to the grounds is formed by a wooden gate between brick gate piers with lanterns. From this gate a straight lane flanked by brick planters leads to the main entrance of the building.

Description

The composite building body of the TOWN HALL has an irregular L-shaped ground plan and comprises two storeys and roof space above the basement. The composite hipped-gabled roof with overhangs is covered with black glazed small Romanesque tiles. The facades up to the drip mouldings of the ground floor windows are constructed in a purple-red brick of Hilversum format and above that in yellowish-brown brick of the same type in Flemish bond. Straight-edged facade openings with (partly composite) steel windows and glass doors under concrete lintels and canopies with a chamfered front. The day reveals of the facade openings in the front facade are faced with reddish-brown tiles and a decorative border of white and blue glazed tiles. In the wedding room, the council chamber and the staircase stained-glass windows with figurative representations. The front facade (north) is dominated by the tall projecting building volume with entrance projection under a steep roof. A flight of six steps leads to the double wooden glass door with decorative bronze railwork. The doors are flanked by two heraldic lions executed in terracotta. Above the entrance a far-overhanging broad brick balcony and three double steel balcony doors with stained glass under a continuous concrete lintel. In the three large stair lights above the lintel stained glass. On either side of the main entrance two steel door units under concrete canopies accessible via brick steps with planters. On the left step a (renewed) lantern. In the facade of the wedding room three windows with stained-glass fanlights under a continuous concrete lintel. The facade of the office section is articulated by horizontal sequences of eight steel windows, on the ground floor under continuous concrete lintel and on the upper floor under overhanging eaves. In the roof shield four small three-sided roof dormers. The tower has a rectangular ground plan under an overhanging hipped roof, on one side flanked by a tall chimney stack. In the tower four small staircase-arranged stained-glass windows and below the roof a composite corner window. On the northeast and southwest sides of the tower the clock mechanism is situated. The rear facade (south) of the town hall is also dominated by the raised building body, which contains the council chamber with balcony on the upper floor. Below the balcony a landing with two flights of steps on which two steel door units open. The facade of the council chamber contains five windows and two balcony doors with stained-glass windows. The rear facade of the wedding room contains three casement windows between piers in red brick. At the bottom of this facade an entrance to the basement. In the rear facade of the office section basement windows with glazing bars and a projecting upper floor on concrete lintels. Large windows with composite steel frames on ground floor and upper floor. In the hipped roof of the tall building volume small pointed roof dormer windows. In the former caretaker's residence the original steel windows have been replaced and an original wooden door remains to the left of the stair tower.

Interior

Of the original interior in particular the entrance hall with staircase, the wedding room and the council chamber have been reasonably well and recognisably preserved. The wall panelling in these rooms has been restored in style over the years. The draught porch and entrance hall are fitted with a marble floor laid in geometric patterns (brown/beige-black). The plastered walls and columns of the hall and staircase have a black marble plinth and high wainscoting of yellowish-brown tiles (Singirte) with accents in brightly glazed blue and red brick. Opposite the entrance a sitting nook with wall benches. In the hall double wooden glass doors with stained glass and wooden room doors with small coloured stained-glass window panes. Marble-faced double staircase to landing at the level of the balcony, above the balcony doors three large stained-glass windows. The middle window depicts the industry in Katwijk; fishing and horticulture. In the right window a representation of Princess Juliana and the date 1932. On the left window the Lady of Wassenaar, Countess de Ligne, village matron of Katwijk, the coat of arms of Wassenaar and the date 1526. From the landing a central staircase leads to the hall on the upper floor with wall panelling and seat bench under a triptych on which the main sources of livelihood (fishing and horticulture) in Katwijk are depicted. On the floor linoleum laid in pattern. In the wedding room, among other things, wall panelling, parquet floor and plastered ceiling with cove and mirror. On the stained-glass windows in the west facade personifications of Labour, Confidence and Devotion, the three virtues of marriage. The stained-glass windows in the council chamber depict personifications of the seven virtues relating to government care: beauty (aesthetica), wisdom (salomo sapienta), justice (justitia), intrepidity (intrepiditas), prudence (prudentia), charity (caritas) and magnanimity (magnanimitas). In the hall, corridors, wedding and council rooms original chrome-plated wall and ceiling fixtures. On the ground floor of the office section the original tile floor and tile wainscoting with wooden wall benches have been preserved. In the mayor's office a painted frieze on which the most important trades and industries in Katwijk are depicted. Part of the original furnishings designed for the town hall is preserved in the wedding and council rooms. Directly in front of the main entrance of the building a simple wooden gate between brick gate piers with large lanterns with opal glass. On either side lower walls faced with reddish-brown tiles and topped with black glazed tiles.

Valuation

The town hall of Katwijk dating from 1932 with associated components in interior and exterior in functionalist-expressionist style is of general interest for its architectural and cultural-historical value as an example of contemporary town hall construction. The building is of general architectural-historical importance as a characteristic and representative example from the late work of the architects Hooykaas and Lockhorst.

The exterior of the town hall is in a high degree intact in main form, detailing and material use. Internally a part of the original interior has been preserved. The building moreover has situational value because of its distinctive front facade with high tower at the corner of the Zeeweg in Katwijk aan Zee.