Telecommunicatiegebouw, Singel 340

English translation

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Description

Introduction

A TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUILDING completed in 1916-1919. Former headquarters of the municipal telephone service; originally Central Office Centre of the Municipal Telephone service, since 1942 called the Local Telephone Service. The building with its front facade on the Singel 340 originally extended continuously to the Herengracht 293-305 (no. 293 serving as a caretaker's dwelling). Built on the instructions of Public Works, designed by Public Works architects G.J. Rutgers and P.L. Marnette. Executed in the style of the so-called restrained Amsterdam School. Initially both facades were executed in the same arrangement; the facade on the Herengracht side was, however, in 1955 replaced by new construction by architect C. van der Wilk. The entrance section on the former facade on the Herengracht, with sculptural work by Hildo Krop, was transferred to the PTT building in the Watergraafsmeer. Other architectural sculpture likewise by Hildo Krop.

Description

On a composite rectangular ground plan a municipal telephone service office building with six storeys: a basement, a ground floor, a first floor, a mezzanine, and a second and third floor. Alongside ashlar in the rusticated base zone, with architectural sculpture and at some constructive accents, use has been made of red brick. The whole is covered by a flat roof.

On the ground floor the facade in the heavy rusticated base with roughly dressed ashlar blocks has an emphasised plinth and basement windows. Rustication constructed from roughly dressed ashlar blocks. Four series of three window openings. The windows have very heavy and dense grille work. On the left side is located the entrance section. Short ashlar breastwork on the left side. Above the rusticated zone is a high stringcourse with at the underside a projecting edge. Further a concave profile towards the lower sills of the windows of the floor above. On this stringcourse the six worked consoles or bases of the wall members between and on either side of the five facade bays treated as pilaster strips or pilasters. The bases carry architectural sculpture. The wall members or pilasters have two sloping brickwork sides; at the front a feature in the form of a brick pier. At the top, by way of capital, architectural sculpture depicting a telephone pole with wires. On either side hereof the coats of arms of the larger cities of the Netherlands. On the floor above five series of three windows. The windows have an ashlar windowsill and sash frames with member halfways. On the mezzanine five series of three square windows with ashlar windowsill. On the further floor above five series of three windows with ashlar windowsill and sash frames with member halfways. Above the windows a single architectural sculpture. The capitals carry a simple projection on which the upper storey. Here again five series of three windows. In each series a central window with sash frame is flanked on both sides by a narrow side window with sash frame. At the top of the windows and also between the window series a meandering ashlar band with at the corners of the window series square features. At the top of the facade plane a brickwork field placed between the window series and slightly projecting from the plane. Straight facade termination.

Valuation

Office building and telecommunications building of general importance on account of its architectural-historical value. Of importance on account of the particular expression of a technical and typological development. The facade on the Singel side is reasonably well preserved.