Woonhuis, Harlingerstraatweg 41

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 41 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 provided by the manufacturer, the 'Vereinigte Möbel- & Holtzwarenfabriken u. Sägewerke Schönthaler - Silva' from Vienna. However, some modifications were made compared to the building application drawing. In the drawing the roof at the front is hipped; executed are gabled tops with substantially projecting gabled roofs. Moreover, all dwellings received trapezoidal bays with balconies on the upper floor at the side near the rear rooms. These may be modifications by Scheltema. The building cost of the villas, prefabricated in Austria and transported in elements to the building site, was, including transport costs, per unit somewhat more than f 9000,-. Internally the dwelling has been substantially renovated, particularly on the ground floor; the exterior is still nearly intact.

Description

EXTERIOR: The villa is built in timber-frame with wooden walls. The mainly horizontal wooden components, slotted together with tongue and groove, are incorporated into the framework of uprights and rails. With the substantially projecting gabled roof the villa has a clearly foreign Chalet style.

The dwelling has a rectangular floor plan and is two full storeys and a spacious attic high, on the rear side a volume of one storey with a lean-to roof has been constructed over the full width, in which the conservatory (called veranda in the design) and the scullery are housed. In the original rear facade three windows with small glazing bars and a glass door have been replaced by a glass wall. The gabled roof has substantial projections on front and rear and is covered with red, corrugated Frisian tiles. On the roof slopes dormer windows stand freely spaced on both sides, small wooden dormers with small cross windows. On the front on the ground floor a trapezoidal bay has been built out in the middle, above which a balcony came for the upper storeys. Similarly, a such a bay with balcony has been built out at the side of the rear room. In the gable tops the wooden components are worked vertically in the tops and the sides. Front and rear facades are opened with ample windows, below casement windows with fanlights provided with cross-runnered glazing bars. On the storey above are two-light windows with small glazing bar divisions; the balcony doors are flanked by single windows of this type. Here they are provided with shutters. The side facades have an irregular arrangement with large and small windows, likewise provided with small glazing bar divisions. In a number of dwellings the glazing bar divisions have disappeared, but all still have the fanlights with cross-runnered 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 framework of uprights and rails is white and the frames, windows, shutters and doors white/dark green. This approach in broad strokes is elaborated in lively detail in parts. The balconies possess flat, vase-shaped balusters and balls on the fence posts. In the front gable top the vertical components end in disc shapes, possibly for the drip edge, which in most dwellings are painted in contrasting colours. In the front gable top square ornaments standing at the point are attached at the sides and at the top similar ornaments which received a small pane.

To the rear on the west side stands a long wooden extension with scullery and garden room with three doors, four-paned windows and an orange-red tile roof against the main volume. This extension is presumably original. The same applies to the garden arrangement with a tiled terrace bounded on two sides by a retaining wall of red brick.

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 lead into. The vestibule has been removed and incorporated into the corridor. Next to the entrance area lies a broad front room. The suite door opening has disappeared and the spatial arrangement is no longer perceptible because the rear room and kitchen are connected. The rear room originally opened into the conservatory with suite doors again between cupboards; these too have disappeared and the space has been pulled towards the rear room, but still recognisable through the cove in the ceiling. The small windows of the scullery can be recognised in the newly formed kitchen. The remarkably easy, lazy staircase leads to the upper storey; the staircase, like the landing and the staircase to the second storey, is provided with railings with balusters. On the storey above are three bedrooms; the two that are in line with each other originally had a connecting door in a cupboard wall. The intermediate wall with connection has been altered. On the storey above the original panelled doors are still present. Under the roof are two bedrooms.

VALUATION

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

- on account of the rarely occurring wooden system construction imported from abroad at that time, which probably relates to the scarcity and expense of brick material;

- on account of the thereby remarkably exotic Chalet style in the existing architectural image of the externally intact - including the extension and the garden terrace - internally usually modified dwellings;

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