Schoolgebouw, Nicolaas Beetslaan 2

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

This former primary school was built in 1931 according to a design by the architectural firm Van Velzen-Oskam. The client was the Church Council of the Dutch Reformed Church Zeist. In 1940 the east wing of the school was extended with two classrooms.

Description

A SCHOOL BUILDING situated at the corner of Nicolaas Beetslaan and Oude Arnhemseweg, on an L-shaped ground plan, predominantly of one storey beneath a hipped roof covered with tuile du Nord tiles and/or flat roofs. The facades are executed in fair-faced brickwork (Flemish bond).

The school has an entrance section positioned at the left corner, from which a wing extends in the southern and eastern directions. The wings have three classrooms arranged one behind the other on the school playground side, and alongside on the street side a corridor runs. Both corridors have an exit at the end. These exits are placed beneath a canopy supported at the outer corner by a brick pier. The wings are partially topped with a hipped roof, of which the roof tiles above the gutter make a bend of approximately 45 degrees, while above the corridors a flat roof is set.

In the apex of the L-shape are a number of interlocking rectangular building volumes of one and two storeys which form the aforementioned entrance section. This contains the hall which has received a semicircular extension on the north facade. The main entrance is placed in the west facade, which was originally set in a portico. The portico was presumably closed off in 1940, whereby the double access door came to lie in the corner of the west facade. Above the current entrance a concrete lintel is placed. To the right of the current entrance is a chimney section on a rectangular base which projects above all building volumes. To the left of the entrance is a balustrade with planter placed, which runs partly along the facade of the portico. Above this, an accent in geometric decorative brickwork is made on the corner, above which a flagpole holder is set. On the second storey a space is accommodated, which originally served as a handicraft classroom. The facades are embellished with geometric decorations, in which both red and black glazed brick is used. Above the windows a drip moulding is applied, while the facade termination is emphasised by black angled tiles with a 90-degree angle. The window sections consist mainly of two-light windows with a wide mullion in which glazing bars were originally present. The classrooms have large six-light windows, of which the upper two are pivot windows. In contrast to the facades with angled-tile termination, a simple wooden drip moulding is placed above the windows of the classrooms.

The interior of the school retains a number of elements that are worthy of preservation. These include the cabinets with sliding panel doors that remain in three classrooms. Between the cabinets is a tiled niche. In the tilework two tiles with fairytale motifs are incorporated, including 'Puss in Boots' and 'The Chinese Nightingale'. These tiles come from the tile factory Westraven in Utrecht. The corridors still have the original tilework on the floor (black/white checked) and against the walls (cream-coloured with dark red, narrow bands). The original coat racks are also present.

Valuation

School building from 1931 is of architectural-historical value as an example of the linear Amsterdam School style. The school has great group value through its striking location at the corner of Nicolaas Beetslaan and Oude Arnhemseweg.