Bankgebouw, Herengracht 545

English translation

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Description

Introduction

A BANK BUILDING created in 1913-1914, for the Amsterdamsche Handelsbank, and OFFICE BUILDING with warehouses and an integrated caretaker's residence, on terrain freed up after the demolition of three residential houses and built on commission of Arnoldus M.A. Heystee after a design by architect J.F. Staal jr. in the style of Berlagianism. The building is sometimes called the Heystee Building, although other sources with this name refer to the rear Reguliersdwarsstraat 108-114. In 1916 a storage facility of one storey was erected on the open space between the two buildings. This storage facility with roof terrace falls outside national protection. In 1970-1973 the main building was completely renovated internally, so that only the front and rear facades of the original property were preserved.

Description

The building was created on a rectangular ground plan and with a high basement, a ground floor designed as piano nobile, two storeys and a mezzanine. At the front is a transversely-placed mansard roof with red tiles and two chimneys with cover plate. The front facade on hard stone plinth is mortared with brown brick in alternating header and stretcher courses. Further use was made of partly florally-decorated natural stone in the facade covering of the basement, at the entrance section, at the bay window on the upper storey, the gutters and sills, the corner stones of the stretchers and at the pilaster strips of the window sections, at the framing of the low windows of the mezzanine and at the facade termination. The five window openings to the basement have lattice work. On the left side is the entrance section with steps with three treads and a shallow portico under an inward-sloping arch with some decoration. Above this the heavy base of the bay window with four lights and floral ornaments; the bay window is three-sided and has mortared pilaster strips of rounded-form brick and an upper-lying balcony with mortared balustrade. The bay window has in form much in common with that of Reguliersdwarsstraat 108-114. On the main storey and the two further storeys always a two- and three-fold window section with pilaster strips. On the storey below the mezzanine the upper sills are set in a natural stone frieze and open doors give access to the small balcony above the bay window. The window sections of the mezzanine are two- and three-light. Mortared frieze with likewise dentil course and natural stone facade termination on likewise ornamented consoles. Rear facade with eight window axes with articulated sash windows with large fanlights; lowest storey (above the 1916 storage facility) with smaller windows. Against the rear facade between the two uppermost storeys and over the entire width is a decorated tile frieze with: ANNO MCMXIII - XIV.

Valuation

Bank and office building from 1913-1914 of general importance because of its architectural-historical and typological value. The front facade has been preserved intact.