Nutsbedrijf, Klönne plein 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

Former Water Gas Factory, later transformer station, component of the Westergasfabriek complex. In 1904 a water or coke gas factory was added to the existing complex, consisting of the factory itself, a boiler house annex laboratory (the present ladder house) and a now vanished small gas holder. Here, according to an ingenious system, blue water gas was produced, which consisted of a mixture of equal parts carbon monoxide and hydrogen. When in 1956 the new, fully automated water gas factory took over production, the old water gas factory was taken out of service, after which the building served as a transformer workshop of the Cable Network department of the Municipal Energy Company.

Since the 1930s the building has been substantially modified several times. For example, among other things, the ventilation hoods on the gabled roofs have disappeared.

In 1931 the boiler house, which was housed in the northern part of the transverse wing, was converted into a purification house. This had far-reaching consequences for the appearance of this building section: the volume was increased by one storey and extended by one bay, and was given a new gable in connection with this. On this occasion, covered structures were added on the west side and in the eastern corner of the building. The extension was carried out entirely in keeping with the style, for the heightening, however, a steel lattice frame construction with infill of masonry was used. The present concrete floor was installed at that time or at a later stage. The main volume has also undergone necessary changes, among other things because technical adjustments were soon needed after commissioning. The roof was completely renewed, with the ventilation hood disappearing and the gables being adapted accordingly. The latter clearly show traces of earlier interventions: on the eastern gable, an originally present external staircase that provided access to the work floor was removed, on the west side repairs were necessary because the coke lift had stood here.

In the 1960s modifications occurred for the transformer workshop: at several locations concrete portals appeared in the facade, internally built-in masonry appeared in the south-east corner and a concrete construction for the crane track was installed along the facades. In relation to this, the layout of the adjacent space - the southern part of the transverse wing - was also modified by the addition of a control room and several smaller built-ins. In the western corner of both building sections came a masonry provision for loading and unloading.

Description

The original water gas factory consists of two sections. The main volume, situated in an east-west direction, is a large hall of 46 by 18 metres covered with a tile-covered gabled roof with, originally, a ventilation hood extending over its entire length which has now disappeared. The transverse wing with dimensions of 32 by 22 metres is divided at approximately one third by a transverse wall into two separate spaces and has a gabled roof. The original ventilation hood has also since disappeared here. Smaller outbuildings are located at various places, while a tall chimney stands in the western corner. The former factory has an internal roof truss structure of riveted double Polonceau trusses, which in the 22 metre wide transverse wing formed the largest span of its kind in the Netherlands before the First World War. Architecturally the building is characterised by a symmetrical layout and careful design, which in the main building creates a basilica-like appearance. The large wall surfaces are articulated at regular intervals by means of lisenes, spandrels, dentil mouldings, coupled arch windows and round windows, while the whole is enlivened with natural stone sills, gutters and setting pieces.

Valuation

Former water gas factory (transformer station) of general importance for its typological value and as a historically-functional component of the Westergasfabriek complex. Of importance are the coherence with the adjacent former boiler house/laboratory, the main structure of two perpendicularly positioned, symmetrically arranged building sections and the largely still present internal and external architectural detailing, including the Polonceau trusses and the roof boarding.