Werk-woonhuis, Voorstreek 34

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

BOOKSHOP WITH UPPER FLOOR and rear extension built in 1868 to the design of architect Herman Rudolf Stoett in Eclectic style on the corner of the Koningsstraat with a rounded corner characteristic of Leeuwarden. The building has remained in use as a bookshop with upper floor.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, traffic on axles in the city centre increased to such an extent that, especially in narrow streets, good visibility at intersections had to be promoted through architectural interventions. Elsewhere this objective was mostly achieved by stipulating during alterations that corners should be cut back. The municipality of Leeuwarden attempted with such corner buildings, often shops, to acquire as much land as possible or otherwise subsidise the alteration in order to improve visibility and facilitate passage by rounding off the sharp corners. In Leeuwarden many of those characteristic rounded corners are still to be found, such as this one on the corner of the not very wide Voorstreek-kade and the narrow Koningsstraat, the oldest documented rounded corner of Leeuwarden.

Description

EXTERIOR: Shop building on an approximately square ground plan of three full storeys and a hipped roof with a two-storey rear wing with roof on the Koningsstraat side. The main element on the corner is three bays wide and deep on either side of the rounded corner and symmetrical in composition and treatment. Hardstone parapet topped with a moulded drip moulding. The ground floor entirely rendered, blocked around the entrance and on the corner pilasters, the shop windows framed and above them in recessed panels in relief on both sides the inscription: Boekhandel o van o A. Meijer, where the o stands for relief circles. The pilasters on either side of the entrance and on the side corners run as pilasters with recessed panels over the two storeys, terminating against the cornice and below the gutter with paired acanthus consoles. Between the second and third storeys a moulded drip moulding; the facade is closed off by a cornice with a dentil moulding on the transition to the moulded gutter. The large, segmentally arched T-windows are framed in render. The masonry, still visible between all the rendered mouldings, is of brown brick. The entrance section is no longer entirely original. The rounded fanlight is still there, but the door has been renewed and now stands somewhat recessed in the corner. Above the door a quarter-round balcony with balustrade railing resting on consoles, behind which are glazed double doors with rounded edges. The hipped roof is covered with blue glazed barrel tiles.

The very simple rear extension of subordinate importance. Two storeys and roof high and on the first storey five and on the second storey four bays wide. Below around 1975 the third bay, originally a door, was closed and the fifth bay, originally a window, was opened as a door with steps. Above, the first bay was originally already closed as a niche. All facade openings are right-angled. The facade of brown brick material has no decorative renderings and is closed off by a flat cornice and a moulded gutter. On the front slope of the hipped roof a roof structure with hoisting beam and further a tall, mortared chimney.

INTERIOR: The shop has been altered several times and contains no original components anymore; the basement under the rear house likewise, except for a cuckoo clock that lit the maidservants' rooms which were located there. The rear house with new stair access is entirely renewed. The main volume is largely in its original state as regards layout. On the second storey the spacious corner salon no longer has its original fireplace, but the stuccoed crown of the mantel is still present. The wall cabinets with wallpapered doors have become niches. On either side of tall suite doors stand two broad panel doors, one of which on one side is flatly finished. The salon has a rich, original stucco ceiling with double border; the outer border with waffle motif with decorative tufts, the inner border moulded with corner ornaments and with a substantial central ornament with floral sprays and garlands. Original window surrounds and on the rounded corner glazed double doors with curved glass panes to the balcony. The smaller rear room possesses the original panel doors and simply stuccoed ceiling with small central ornament and a diagonal corner fireplace. The original stair to the third storey is flanked by a small built-in cabinet with panel door and has balusters. On the third storey on the Voorstreek side two rooms have been joined and provided with softboard ceilings. The spacious rear room has panel doors, fireplace with surround and a slightly damaged stucco ceiling with central ornament. Original roof truss structure with on the attic a toilet and a boarded-off maidservants' room with remnant bed alcove and wall cabinet.

VALUATION

Shop building of general cultural-historical, architectural-historical and urban planning importance on account of

- the rounded corner characteristic of Leeuwarden as a means of improving visibility and passage for traffic;

- the externally virtually intact Eclectic style;

- the internally largely intact Eclectic living salon and other original interior components in the interior;

- the urban planning location at a junction of canals and roads with the characteristic corner solution.