Woonhuis, Peisenlaan 12

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

In 1932, F.A. Eschauzier received a commission from Mr. E. Bruinwold Riedel from Den Haag to build a villa on a large plot on the southern slope of the Heuvelrug in the municipality of Leersum. From the plot, which was then still covered with heath, one originally looked out over the old village centre of Leersum.

Eschauzier's work is classified under the Delft School. Although his residential houses have a traditional appearance, his floor plans in a number of cases show a clear modern influence. The floor plan of the villa in Leersum is characterized by an integration of the interior spaces with the exterior spaces consisting of a walled vegetable garden and two spaces for the garage and the main entrance. The openness of the facades which characterizes the New Building and through which inside and outside flow into each other is entirely absent here. The integration of interior and exterior space has received a more subtle approach in the case of the Leersum house. Eschauzier apparently wanted the transition from interior spaces to exterior spaces to be experienced gradually. Thus the vestibule adjoins an enclosed space, which is then followed by the vegetable garden in a westerly direction. The space is almost entirely surrounded by walls and thus functions more or less as part of the house. The adjoining vegetable garden is separated on the north side by a wall, while the south side has remained open and, at least in the nineteen-thirties, adjoined a heath garden. The exit in the south facade also first leads onto a covered internal veranda before the actual openness of the land could be experienced. Eschauzier's work is characterized by the individuality of the design. He designed on the basis of family composition and the circumstances of the plot on which the house was to be built.

Description

A VILLA situated at some distance from the public road, accessed via a long drive. The villa consists of one storey beneath a reed-thatched gabled roof and has a T-shaped floor plan. The main volume is oriented in an east-west direction, while a slightly smaller building volume is set at right angles to the left of centre. Both building volumes are covered by a reed-thatched gabled roof. The ridge of the smaller building volume is slightly lower than the ridge of the main volume. A partly walled vegetable garden, to the west of the house, is integrated into the floor plan.

The solidly appearing facades are white rendered, with steel one-, two- or three-light windows set irregularly into them. The windows have generally been given leaded glass windows with a diagonal or rectilinear glazing pattern. An exception to this is a large steel casement window in the south facade which has not been given a leaded glass pattern. A notable detail is the slight outward flare of the long facade sides under the eaves.

The broad south facade of the main volume is characterized by an internal veranda placed to the right of centre, in front of which a terrace is located. To the left of this is a large casement window and to the right is a leaded glass window. The eastern side facade has in the first storey a two-light window placed to the right of the central axis. On the upper floor is a wider two-light window. The western side facade has in the first storey two symmetrically placed windows and on the upper floor a window consistent with the window on the upper floor of the eastern side facade. In the western facade of the smaller building volume the main entrance is placed. This is located entirely to the right beneath a roof light covered with tiles. Entirely to the left is the garage which has been fitted out as a study since 1982. The garage doors have been replaced by a composite twelve-light window. In the east facade three windows are placed. Entirely to the right the facade slopes inward at an angle. The rear facade is completely blank. The villa is accessed via the aforementioned drive which runs along the vegetable garden wall (on the right) and ends at a space or courtyard which is also partly walled. Adjacent to this courtyard is the former garage. To the right of the garage an eight-step built stone stair runs along the west facade and emerges onto a lower-lying space. The stair runs past a vaulted niche which opens into the kitchen and was originally intended to accommodate deliveries (milk bottles etc.). To the right of this is a kitchen window, a low-placed window to light the cellar stair and the aforementioned main entrance. The space to which the entrance is located adjoins in a westerly direction the aforementioned vegetable garden, which is screened on the north and west sides by a high wall. On the south side a low wall (approximately 40 cm high) acts as a screen. The northern garden wall lies in line but not adjoining the dividing wall between the kitchen and garage, while the southern garden wall adjoins the rear facade of the main volume. Via a gate in the western garden wall it is possible to leave the garden. To the right of the gate is a small shed beneath a tiled gabled roof. The interior and layout are in virtually original condition. In the main volume are housed the living room and the main bedroom. Both rooms are separated by a corridor which opens onto the veranda. The still original living room has a wooden coffered ceiling designed by the architect, walls panelled with flat wooden panels and a fireplace with wood storage in the south-east corner. The wood storage can be restocked via a hatch in the outer facade. On the upper floor of the main volume is a landing, to the left of which is an attic space and to the right a guest bedroom. In the smaller building volume the functional spaces (hall, kitchen and garage) are housed. The high hall, which is central in the overall layout of the floor plan, is provided with a half-storey where a dining corner is located. From here a door provides access to the kitchen, while an oak wooden spiral stair with steel tube handrail leads to the upper floor. The wall separating the kitchen from the former garage has been provided with a passage in 1982. For this a cupboard set in the wall was removed. In the left corner of the hall is a stair to a small cellar space.

Valuation

The villa on the Peisenlaan is of architectural-historical value as an example of an almost completely intact building type from the nineteen-thirties. The floor plan shows a modern layout, in which interior and exterior spaces flow into each other. This floor plan arrangement contrasts with the enclosure of the facades. The individuality of the design is characteristic of Eschauzier's work and is also important for this reason as part of the oeuvre of this architect.