Hugo de Vries-laboratorium

English translation

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Description

Introduction

In 1910-1915 realised to a design by J.M. van der Mey in rationalist style LABORATORY for botany, called Hugo de Vries laboratory. This laboratory is the first design realised by Van der Mey. The laboratory is part of the Hortus Botanicus complex

NB. This laboratory is located on the site of the 19th-century palm house and orangery and was also designed at the direction of Prof. Dr. Hugo de Vries and his assistant Theo Stomps. In 1990 the building was renovated.

Description

A botany laboratory realised on a composite symmetrical floor plan, situated at some distance from the building line. The whole consists of a large central building block of two storeys and three by three bays, of which the middle three bays project forward and are architecturally accentuated. This contains the projecting entrance section. This central section has a hipped roof covered with tiles, blue-grey tiles. The remaining roofs are flat. On either side of the large central building block another building section adjoins. These are also two storeys, but in total lower than the central section and are five bays wide. In contrast to the central section, which is executed entirely in brick, these side wings have a rendered finish within a brick surround. Because the building is situated at some distance from the building line, a substantial brick entrance section has been created for the central part with among other things a stair, landing, small pillars with an iron gate between them and concluding brickwork with substantial pillars. The brickwork of the front facades is mainly executed in stretcher bond with rich variation in colour nuances. Further accents in natural stone and decorative brickwork. The central entrance section consists of a projecting porch over two storeys. The oak cassette door still has the original hinges and fastening hardware. Above this ornamental wrought ironwork with the text "D'ARTZENIJHOFF" and the coat of arms of Amsterdam. Above the entrance a facade stone with a relief of the laboratory building. Above this a cross window with four-light glazed lower lights and six-light glazed upper lights. Natural stone cross and corner stones and brick antefix. Porch terminated with natural stone pediment. Spandrel sections as lesenes with capital and city coat of arms in brick under natural stone coping. The side wall of this porch contains a brick niche. At the top lancet windows. Natural stone accents on the corners and coping slabs on the gable termination. Rounded corners and decoratively projecting brick. The whole stands on a natural stone plinth. On the corner a tall tapering chimney with natural stone coping. The windows in the side wings contain on the ground floor sash frames with glazing bars, on the first floor windows with tilt-and-turn casement. The rear facade shows cross windows in varied forms. Left and right a rendered projection of the extensions. Cordon course and cornice. Trellis work for climbing plants. The central pavilion has in the middle a segmental shaped bay window over two storeys and simple entrance door and windows. Top side with coupled ladder window and white-painted wooden window frames.

Interior. In the hall a marble plaque with text: 'This laboratory was founded by the municipality of Amsterdam. As a token of recognition of the great merits of Hugo de Vries. In lasting remembrance of these events his former pupils and students placed this plaque on the day of opening 13 January 1915'. Above the plaque again the coat of arms of Amsterdam. Void with marble stair with ornamental wrought iron balustrade with wooden handrail.

Worthiness

Hugo de Vries laboratory of general interest on account of its architectural-historical values and because of its place in Van der Mey's oeuvre. Furthermore of interest because of its scientific-historical value and as a character-defining component of the Hortus Botanicus complex.