Woonhuis, Harlingerstraatweg 6

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

TRIPLE VILLA built in Interwar architecture with both Expressionistic and romantic detailing, designed in 1931 by D. Kalma and G. Witteveen. In the oeuvre of this architect couple who built many townhouses and villas for the wealthy in the twenties and thirties, this triple villa, which the architects call a 'triple country house' on the building drawing of 9 February 1931, is a characteristic project. The commissioners were a Mrs Spoelstra, Hero de Vries and Mayor Van Beijma.

It has become one of the largest building volumes on the Harlingerstraatweg, the old dike towards Marssum, later an exit road towards Harlingen which was initially, at the end of the nineteenth century, hesitantly built upon, but from the twenties of the twentieth century increasingly developed with villas and townhouses.

Description

EXTERIOR: Triple villa of which the eastern is numbered 6, the middle 6a and the western 6b. The whole is built on a rectangular plan with a transverse wing and several extensions and outbuildings. It has produced a building volume of a long wing lying parallel to the street of two storeys with a high gabled roof with half-hipped ends and a short transverse wing that projects on the front elevation with two storeys with a hipped roof and rises on the rear elevation within the main volume to three storeys and there provided with a half-hipped roof. The eastern dwelling extends to and including the substantially projecting, rectangular bay window with balcony for the upper floor; the middle dwelling extends from the aforementioned bay window to the centre of the projecting outbuilding and the western dwelling consists of the other half of the projecting wing and the last section of the long wing. The two end dwellings have their access arrangements in the side elevations. The two doors situated almost in the middle could cause confusion regarding the separation of the dwellings. The right door is not the entrance to the eastern dwelling, but the door of the internal passage of the middle dwelling. The building is built of mixed bright red brick, in half-brick bond with recessed mortar joints. The basements at the access arrangements, flowerbeds and similar features which expressively change in appearance, as well as the rear elevation are built of a slightly darker brick type. The roofs are covered with thatch and have overhangs which are supported at the corners by projecting heavy beams, originally painted green with red end faces. On the boundary between the eastern and middle dwelling stands a small chimney on the ridge. At the rear, from the rear wall on that boundary a tall, combined kitchen chimney is built; that of the western dwelling is built up from the rear slope of the roof. The back kitchens and stores built on to the rear have flat roofs; the back kitchen of number 6a was extended at the rear at a later date.

The dwellings possess mainly large window and bay window arrangements, originally in part, and as far as the fanlights are concerned still, divided with lead strips into panes. On the ground floor these are mostly large, undivided windows with four-light fanlights; on the upper floors three- and four-light windows. Only those of the western dwelling still has this broad-mesh leaded glass division in completely original condition. Both on the front elevation in the roofs, and at the side and rear elevations below the half-hipped ends of the thatched roofs, window bands of smaller size for lighting the third storey. Those in the roof on the front elevation are incorporated in broad roof pavilions with high pitched sloping roofs. Number 6 also has on the rear elevation a light well with door to a flat on the second floor and a three-light window in roof pavilion extension on the third storey, provided with leaded glass for lighting the stairwell. The access arrangements received special attention. The arched door of number 6 is incorporated almost in the middle of the side elevation in a slightly projecting, fan-shaped arched surround. Diagonally above the door, in the middle of the elevation on the upper floor, sits the most expressive element of the entire building: a two-light window with leaded glass in wedge form, divided by a mullion running from above which is cut at the window into a undulating profile. The straight-closing doors with side lights of number 6a, of the dwelling and passage, are brought together between the bay window of number 6 and the projecting wing under a substantial concrete canopy with a six-light fanlight above it. The access arrangement of number 6b in the side elevation consists of a projecting rectangular section with lights in the side elevations, a concrete canopy and masonry flowerbeds on either side.

INTERIOR: The arrangement of dwelling number 6 is, with the exception of mainly the ground floor where the original structure has been substantially altered. On the upper floors the arrangement is still largely original with doors with surrounds, cupboard blocks and similar features. This arrangement has no special characteristics.

Dwelling number 6a lacks the en-suite arrangement on the ground floor, but in the rooms the original ceilings of softboard in a pattern with border and rectangular fields are still present. The orientation of the kitchen has been changed. The special structure of stairs, varying from the first to the second staircase, is original; the second staircase is situated above the still original internal passage. On the upper floors the original structure. Dwelling number 6b is largely original. On the ground floor a vestibule with double glazed door - where leaded glass has disappeared - and hall, both provided with cladding of soft green tiles with black edge and granite floors in white with brown fields and black with white borders. Next to the vestibule a white-tiled toilet. Kitchen with three-light window with lower lights with obscured glass, white tiling with black edge covering the entire walls. Opposite the window a cupboard wall with fireplace, originally the location of the stove with boiler of the central heating. From the kitchen access to a large cellar situated below the hall with vestibule. Behind the kitchen a back kitchen and coal store. Rooms en suite with on the front elevation a 'side sitting room', a side room connected to the front room with an open wall frame. Suite doors with wooden glazing bars and between cupboards on all sides. The back room opening onto the garden with french doors - where leaded glass has disappeared - with side and top lights. All panel doors are flatly panelled with retention of the original doors. From the hall runs the generously proportioned staircase to a spacious landing, provided with solid railings/balustrades with recessed wave motifs; the lower part replaced. The stairwell is illuminated by a large leaded glass window with lower lights with obscured glass. Upper landing and bedrooms all with original panel doors and ceiling with small beams. On the originally open attic behind a stair enclosure, in the nineteen fifties four bedrooms were constructed.

VALUATION

The three-part villa is of general importance for architectural history, architecture and town planning

- because of the characteristic place which the building occupies in the oeuvre of the architect couple Kalma and Witteveen, leading designers of villas and townhouses in the Interwar period;

- because of the externally intact, varied Interwar architecture with fine volumetric composition and expressive elements and in number 6b the almost intact interior in this style;

- because of the massive, yet varied volumetric composition on an old exit road with mostly open development, whereby the town planning context is strongly formed.