Bankgebouw, Beursplein 3 tr Leeuwarden (and others)

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

BANK BUILDING WITH ATTACHED CARETAKER'S DWELLING built in 1936-1937 by A. Baart sr. with the assistance of J.E. Wiersma in Traditionalist architecture for the Coöperatieve Zuivelbank. This bank, founded in 1912, opened in 1913 in a premises on the Willemskade. After a few months it moved to the Landbouwhuis on the Baljeestraat. In 1914 the café de Beurs on the Zaailand was purchased, followed in 1918 by the adjacent premises. After several further expansions, the present new building was constructed on the same site. In 1970 the name changed to Friesland Bank because the target group had expanded to become a general bank. The sculptural work on the facades is by Willem Valk, the painting in the meeting room is by Ids Wiersma. Furthermore there is stained glass by an unknown maker. In the public hall, the counter front has been preserved unaltered.

Description

EXTERIOR: Bank building with caretaker's dwelling. Main building on an L-shaped floor plan around a now fully built-upon courtyard with attached dwelling, executed in red handmade brick with granite details. The north facade comprises nine bays, the east facade ten. There are two storeys and a roof truss structure. The high granite plinth is interrupted at the corner and in the north facade for entrances. The corner main entrance is accessed through doorways in the north and east facades. This portico on a square base is vaulted with a depressed groined vault. Above the arched entrances the bays are closed except for a narrow, tall window in natural stone surround. The remaining bays are separated from each other by pilaster-like lisenes on granite bases. The facades are terminated by a narrow natural stone band, which between the lisenes is provided with a dentil moulding. The far projecting eaves cornice is also of natural stone. The steel windows have on the ground floor bronze screens with lettering in separated letters indicating the various services offered by the bank. On the bases of the lisenes are sculptural works by Willem Valk relating to agriculture and dairy production. The corner section is provided with an image of a farmer looking into the future. There is a half-hipped roof clad with tiles with a few small roof windows. The roof truss structure is entirely executed in concrete.

The lower caretaker's dwelling has two bays and three storeys under a shallow-pitched gabled roof with tiles. The ground floor has a low granite plinth and is otherwise closed. Here a facing stone from 1662 was set into the masonry, depicting a bastion in high relief, which was found in 1918 in one of the purchased premises. To the left of this building volume is an entrance section comprising one storey. On the upper floor are two bays over two storeys on moulded granite corbels.

INTERIOR: In the counter hall the teller counter has been preserved in virtually pristine condition. This consists of a white marble base, on which a bronze screen in geometric forms. Above each teller window are boards with in relief the number and function of the teller. The ceiling of the hall was lowered, the draught vestibule refurbished in modern materials. Of the chief cashier's station the marble base was preserved. The staircase and the safe vault have been preserved almost entirely unaltered, surprisingly executed in a style that closely follows the interior of Hilversum Town Hall by Dudok. The staircase is executed in white marble, set off with bands in black marble. The wall cladding consists of marble slabs à livre ouvert. The safe vault is an elongated room with at the short side the door to the safe deposit boxes and at the long side a series of doors to the coupon rooms. This room too is clad with marble slabs. On the first floor the staircase and the adjacent hall have a stained glass wall with motifs derived from agriculture and the coats of arms of the Frisian waterschappen. Most of the original doors have been preserved. In some rooms a lowered ceiling was introduced. The large meeting room was largely stripped of its original ornamentation when it was converted to office space. On the short side hangs a painting by Ids Wiersma 1.40m high and approximately 6m long, depicting stock farming and arable farming operations. The framing of the painting was simplified.

Valuation

Bank building with attached caretaker's dwelling of general architectural-historical, cultural-historical and business-historical significance:

- because of the Traditionalist architecture of the exterior and the contrasting Dudok-inspired architecture of the interior;

- because of the pristine condition of the exterior and the preserved interior components including the finely designed public counter, the staircase, the stained glass, the unaltered safe vault and the original elements on the upper floor;

- because of the iconographic programme of the sculptural work by Willem Valk, relating to the dairy industry and agriculture, the original target group of the bank, as well as the painting by Ids Wiersma with the same subject.