Generaal de Bons Kazerne

English translation

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Description

Introduction

The largest part of the pre-war barracks site is occupied by six BARRACK BUILDINGS D1 and D2, E1 and E2, F and G, which are located on the western and eastern sides of the parade ground. In the buildings, which show Expressionist forms and were first erected in 1938-'39, were housed the men and officers. Each building accommodated 200 persons, divided over ten rooms. It is notable that the buildings were already equipped with central heating in 1939. After the Second World War the buildings were renovated several times. A number are still in use as lodging buildings. F now functions as a school.

Description

The buildings are broadly identical, although D1 and 2 are positioned in mirror image with respect to buildings E1 and 2 (on the opposite side of the parade ground). F and G are located to the south of D1 and E1 respectively and are arranged axially-symmetrically with these. It should be noted that F and G are slightly larger than D and E: the rooms on the southern side of the staircases are larger. The two-storey buildings have a rectangular floor plan with a stepped corner on the eastern or western façade.

The most striking elements are the three-storey staircases, with lights fitted above the canopy over the full height. The northern, or southern extensions are single-storey. The buildings are covered by composite hipped roofs with improved Dutch tiles and substantial overhangs. Various wooden roof dormers stand on the roof. The one-and-a-half-brick façades are built in various colours of brick and articulated by ashlar strips. The windows are the customary ones for the complex: iron windows with glazing bars with opening fanlights and lower lights.

The arrangement of a number of windows has been partially replaced.

The doors in the pronounced staircases are fixed double doors with iron push plates, flanked by vertical rectangular lights.

These buildings too have been renovated, but despite this a number of original elements have been retained, including the concrete floors finished with terrazzo in the men's rooms, the wooden roof trusses, the staircases with wrought-iron balustrades, the halls with partition doors with iron push plates. On the left and right the rooms still have the authentic panel doors and cupboard doors. The layout of the buildings is also virtually entirely original. During the renovations sanitary facilities were installed in the buildings.

Valuation

The barracks buildings of the garrison are of general interest.

They have cultural-historical importance as an example of an administrative and strategic development, namely the establishment of a barracks as part of the Peel-Raam Line, an important component of national defence, and as an example of the typological development of barracks in the interwar period. From an architectural-historical perspective they are important because of the style applied by the engineering departments and because of the use of materials. The whole is important because of its situation, connected with the strategic development of the ancient fortified city of Grave. It is important because of the integrity of interior and exterior.