Woonhuis, Prins Hendrikstraat 15

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

Row of four adjoining TOWNHOUSES (ground-floor and upper-floor flats) with GATES, built around 1890 in the style of eclecticism with neo-Renaissance influences.

This series of townhouses is located in the Spijkerkwartier east of Arnhem's city centre, and is situated in the building line of the continuous eastern street frontage of Prins Hendrikstraat. The Spijkerkwartier is a residential district largely laid out in the final quarter of the 19th century, with the southern part predominantly built with townhouses. Prins Hendrikstraat was laid out after the sale of the estate to the municipality of Arnhem in 1878 and subsequently built by private parties. The shallow front gardens are closed off at street level by simple wrought-iron GATES.

Description

Four two-aisled TOWNHOUSES of three storeys, a basement and an attic storey on a rectangular ground plan. The narrow aisles of the houses have a porch at the front with two paired entrances, and at the rear an extension which tapers twice: once at the height of the first-floor level and once at the height of the second-floor level. The wide aisles have wooden conservatories spanning two storeys between these extensions.

The brick facades are laid in English bond. The four houses each individually have a gabled roof with the ridge perpendicular to the front facade and a half-hipped end at the front. In each of the half-hipped ends a flat-roofed wooden dormer is placed (arched sash window between pilasters with recessed fields). The roofs are, as far as visible, covered with pantiles (corrugated and flat). The roof overhang at the rear rests on corbels. The FRONT FACADE is horizontally articulated by a blocked plastered basement storey, stringcourses, brick courses and a closing cornice. The cornice of houses 15;17 and 27;29 consists of a profiled architrave, a frieze with recessed fields and a profiled cornice. The cornice of houses 19;21 and 23;25 consists of a profiled architrave, a brick frieze with recessed fields (some plastered diamond-shaped finials) and a profiled cornice on consoles. The rectangular recessed fields below the windows and the arched fields above the windows are filled with brick mosaic in which patterns and ornaments are arranged in white plasterwork.

The identically executed houses 15;17 and 27;29 have in the basement storey two rectangular windows with sash windows, and on the right an entrance under the stairs to the first storey. This stair between highly built-up trees (partly of ashlar) leads to a segmentally arched porch in the first storey. The porch has an ashlar floor, threshold and mullions, partly tiled side walls, and two paired entrances with fanlights on either side of an elaborately worked mullion. The richly worked panel doors with applied fields, mouldings, pilasters and an arched light are partly altered. To the left of the porch are two tall windows with chamfered upper corners, with single-light lower sashes and fanlights. The first storey is blocked and roughly plastered. The keystones above the relieving arches are provided with elongated diamond-shaped finials. The second storey has in the centre a balcony resting on profiled consoles with wrought-iron railing and wooden corner posts and handrail. The double glazed balcony door with fanlight has on either side a rectangular window with single-light sash window and fanlight. The relieving arches with chamfered corners are provided with plastered spring and keystones (grape clusters). The brick courses are provided with applied rectangular fields adjacent to the wall openings. The third storey has three rectangular windows with sash windows. The one-and-a-half brick segmental arches have plastered keystones each with a grape cluster.

The identically executed and adjoining houses 19;21 and 23;25 have in the basement storey two arched windows with sash windows, and on the right an entrance under the stairs to the first storey. This stair between highly built-up trees (partly of ashlar) leads to a segmentally arched porch in the first storey. The porch has an ashlar floor, threshold and mullions, partly tiled side walls, and two paired entrances with arched fanlights on either side of an elaborately worked mullion. The richly worked panel doors with applied fields, mouldings, pilasters and a light with shoulder arch are in some houses slightly altered. To the left of the porch are two arched windows, with single-light sash windows and fanlights. The brick courses are provided with diamond-shaped finials adjacent to the wall openings. The second storey has in the centre of both houses a balcony resting on profiled consoles with wrought-iron railing. The double glazed balcony door with fanlight has on either side a rectangular window with single-light sash window and fanlight. The brick courses between the wall openings are provided with a half sphere. The third storey has in both houses three rectangular windows with sash windows. The relieving arches of the recessed wall openings vary from segmental arches in the first storey, small architraves with blind basket arches in the second storey and blind arched chicory-leaves in the third storey. All relieving arches are provided with a keystone with a head; female heads in the middle window axes of the houses and otherwise bearded male heads. Simple wooden stairs lead from the enclosed rear gardens to an elaborately worked wooden conservatory in the first storey (door with fanlight and large four-light sash window with fanlight). This conservatory is continued over the second storey and has there a double sash door with french balcony between side and fanlights. In some houses the original glazing bars and the elegantly worked drip moulding have been preserved. The brick extensions predominantly have rectangular windows with (T-)sash windows and fanlights (in the second storey coupled in pairs). The third storey has per house two rectangular windows with sash windows. The attic storey has in each gabled end a rectangular window with sash window. All wall openings in the rear facade are closed by straight stretches. The SPATIAL STRUCTURE of the two-aisled ground-floor flats consists of corridors, vestibule, stairwell, toilet and small rooms in the right aisle, and original kitchen (basement) and rooms en suite with conservatory in the left aisle. The flats possess a number of original INTERIOR ELEMENTS, such as a mantelbeam and display cabinet in the basement kitchen; various panel doors with profiled surrounds; rooms en suite with stucco ceiling, black marble fireplaces and sliding doors; plastered walls and ceiling, white marble floor and skirting boards, a draught door with diamond pattern (diamond-shaped ornaments) and fanlight (curved glazing bars) in the vestibule.

The SPATIAL STRUCTURE of the two-aisled upper-floor flats consists of a stairwell with corridors, toilet, kitchen and small room in the right aisle, and rooms en suite with conservatory (second storey) and a front and rear room with connecting door and wardrobe wall (third storey) in the left aisle. The flats possess a number of original INTERIOR ELEMENTS, such as stucco ceilings and black marble fireplaces in the rooms en suite and various panel doors with profiled surrounds.

Valuation

Row of four TOWNHOUSES with GATES from c. 1890.

- Of architectural-historical value as a fine example in conception and detailing of a late nineteenth century row of substantial residential houses in eclectic style with neo-Renaissance influences. The object is notable for high-quality aesthetic qualities in particular of the front facade design, which is characterized by varied use of materials and abundant, very rich ornamentation. The object is intact in terms of main form, detailing and spatial structure. The identically set up flats possess valuable interior elements, such as stucco ceilings, marble fireplaces and floors, panel and sliding doors (the original situation has not been equally well preserved in all flats).

- Of urban-planning value as an essential component of the late nineteenth century Spijkerkwartier, built with townhouses in historicizing architectural styles, which is located at the site of the former estate Geldersch Spijker. The object has ensemble value in relation to the relatively intact nineteenth century building and layout of Prins Hendrikstraat, and stands out in this street view due to its extremely rich detailing.

- Of cultural-historical value as a particular expression of late nineteenth century private residential construction, which is characterized by a traditional two-aisled layout with ground-floor and upper-floor flats, a representative front facade in historicizing style and the use of industrially manufactured ornaments in the interior and exterior. As such, the object has been well preserved.