Woonhuis, Harlingerstraatweg 31

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

VILLA Harlingerstraatweg 31 forming part of a COMPLEX of ten villas in timber-frame construction, Harlingerstraatweg 29-41 and Engelsestraat 2-6, built in the winter of 1922-'23 in the Chalet style. The developer was K. Wits, director of the N.V. Maatschappij tot huizenexploitatie Frisia and J. Scheltema the executing and supervising architect. The dwellings were obtained as building kits from Austria, for Leeuwarden an early example of standardised construction for this type of dwelling. The design was supplied by the manufacturer, the 'Vereinigte Möbel- & Holtzwarenfabriken u. Sägewerke Schönthaler - Silva' from Vienna. However, compared to the drawing of the building application, some modifications took place. In the drawing the roof at the front is half-hipped; executed are stepped gables with substantially projecting gabled roofs. Moreover, all dwellings received on the side at the rear rooms trapezium-shaped bay windows with balconies for the upper storey. These may be modifications by Scheltema. The building cost of the villas prefabricated in Austria and transported in elements to the building site amounted, including transport costs, per unit to slightly more than f 9000,-. Inside, the dwelling has been substantially altered, especially on the ground floor; the exterior is still virtually intact.

Description

EXTERIOR: The villa is built in timber-frame with wooden walls. The predominantly horizontal wooden parts, fitted with tongue and groove together, are incorporated in the frame and post work. With the substantially projecting gabled roof the villa has a distinctly foreign Chalet style.

The dwelling has a rectangular floor plan and is two full storeys and a spacious roof space high, at the rear over the full width a volume of one storey with a lean-to roof is added, in which the conservatory (in the design called veranda) and the scullery are housed. In the original rear façade three windows with small glazing bars and a glass door have been replaced by a glass wall. The gabled roof has substantial overhangs at front and rear and is covered with red, corrugated Friese tiles. On the roof slopes on both sides are relatively closed, wooden roof dormers with small cross windows. At the front on the ground floor in the centre a trapezium-shaped bay window is built out, on which for the upper storeys a balcony came. Also at the side of the rear room such a bay window with balcony is built out. In the gable tops the wooden parts are worked vertically in the tips and the sides. Front and rear façades are opened with spacious windows, below casement windows with fanlights furnished with diagonal glazing bars. On the upper storey are two-light windows with small glazing bar divisions; the balcony doors are flanked by single windows of this type. Here they are furnished with shutters. The side façades have an irregular articulation with large and small windows, likewise furnished with small glazing bar divisions. In a number of dwellings the glazing bar divisions have disappeared, but all still have the fanlights with diagonal glazing bars.

On the coloured design drawing the woodwork is indicated in light brown and dark beige; old (black and white) photographs suggest that the dwelling was indeed painted in mid-tones. Now the walls are dark brown; the frame and post work is white and the frames, windows, shutters and doors white/dark green. That approach in broad terms is enlivened in details on individual parts. The balconies possess flat, urn-shaped balusters and balls on the railing posts. In the front gable top the vertical parts end in disc forms, possibly for the drip, which are painted with contrast on most of the dwellings. In the front gable top are placed on the sides on the point standing square ornaments and at the top similar ornaments which were given a small pane.

INTERIOR: The dwelling layout on the ground floor originally consists at the front of a small vestibule, a hall where the staircase and cloakroom/toilet open out. The vestibule has been removed and incorporated into the corridor. Next to the entrance is a broad front reception room. The suite wall has disappeared, but the spatial layout can still be experienced because the rear room is slightly narrower. The rear room originally opened towards the conservatory with again suite doors between cupboards; this has also disappeared and the space pulled into the rear room. Next to the rear room is a spacious kitchen with pantry and behind it, in the extension, the scullery. The remarkably easy, gentle staircase leads to the upper storey; the staircase like the landing and the staircase to the second storey is furnished with railings with balusters. On the upper storey three bedrooms are housed; the two that are in line with each other originally had a connecting door in a cupboard wall. The partition wall with connection has been altered. On the upper storey the original panelled doors are still present. Under the roof are two bedrooms with built-in cupboards on one of the sides and a small room.

VALUATION

The timber villa is of general historical, architectural historical and urban planning importance

- on account of the timber systems construction imported from abroad which was rarely occurring at that time, which probably relates to the scarcity and cost of brick material;

- on account of the thereby in the existing architectural image remarkably exotic Chalet Style of the externally intact, internally mostly adapted dwellings;

- as an element in the lively, but not restless urban planning grouping of the ten villas at and near a spacious crossroads.