De Wychert

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

COUNTRY HOUSE `De Wychert' built in 1907 to a design by the Hilversum architect J.W. HANRATH (1867-1932) on commission from G.S.H. Wendelaar. The house was built as a replacement for an older house of the same name, located north of the Oude Kleefsebaan on the former country estate `Bergendaal'. The building is constructed in New-Historicist Style, with elements referring to Dutch Renaissance and Classicism, combined with principles from English and French country house styles.

Architect Hanrath is regarded as an innovator of country house architecture in the first decade of the twentieth century. His invariably monumental houses are characterised by their distinctive attention to entrance features, windows and bay windows. Thus De Wychert is distinguished by the staggered building volumes and the use of a tower block, picturesque asymmetry and the application of stepped gables. A tower block is much employed in the villas in the surrounding area. In Berg en Dal and the vicinity, wealthy Dutch people increasingly settled from the nineteenth century onwards on account of the beautiful landscape. The nineteenth- and early twentieth-century country houses and villas still determine the character to this day.

The building is largely in its original state. The principal alterations concern a wing built on to the right side gable (nineteen thirties) and the tower crown (modified in the nineteen twenties). Furthermore, recently an apartment has been fitted out on the upper storey, whereby the original layout has been altered. De Wychert is surrounded by a parkland garden with gravel and monumental trees. The plot is bounded on the street side by a new fence.

Description

The COUNTRY HOUSE, fully cellared, has a predominantly asymmetrical layout in plan and elevations. The whole is built on an undulating terrain sloping away to the rear and has a rectangular main form with various projecting volumes. The main volume is two storeys and an attic storey high, the ancillary structures have one or more storeys. The building is terminated by a composite roof with unequal ridge heights, laid with tiles in Dutch bond. The roof consists of a truncated hipped roof, gabled roofs and hipped roofs. The roof drainage takes place via gutters on a projecting brick roof edge. All roof dormer windows are identical with cross windows closed off by hipped roof dormers behind covered with tiles and provided with gutters. They occur on the front elevation (three), in the right side gable (two). Moreover, there is a small dormer window with a single window in the front gable of the left-hand outbuilding. In the main roof there are several substantial chimneys with wrought-iron curled ornaments. The elevations with high projecting brick plinth and roll course in moulded brickwork, are laid in Flemish bond, in multi-coloured brick. The elevations are enlivened with natural stone, amongst other things around the entrance feature, as arch stones, and furthermore the white-painted window and door frames provide contrast. In the elevations there are wrought-iron ornamental wall anchors. Within the elevations various window types are employed, which refer to the renaissance: cross windows with shutters for the lower panes, and composite window arrangements. In addition oval windows occur. Most windows are fitted with uncoloured leaded glass, sometimes completely sometimes only in the fanlights. The windows are closed off at the top by a coursing course, above which a conspicuous segmental arch is situated with arch stones. Below the windows are sills. The asymmetrically laid out FRONT ELEVATION can be divided into five unequal window axes. Approximately in the centre is an entrance feature above which the elevation extends into a tower block. To the left of this feature a narrow axis with a stepped gable is drawn above the gutter line, and for the austere elevation end completely on the left a single-storey outbuilding is set which is covered with a hipped roof. In the front elevation windows are employed as described, whereby approximately in the centre a large six-part stair light is placed. The oval windows are situated in the single-storey section on the left. The entrance feature is preceded by three ashlar steps between brick walls with brick columns with ball capitals. The timber panelled door with narrow side lights is closed off at the top by a semi-circular fanlight with leaded glass and a radial glazing bar pattern. The whole is surrounded by a facing of stone with false joints in radial direction and flanked by round columns on a brick base. These columns support a pediment. The transition to the tower block is formed by a stepped brick projection, and ashlar fixing pieces. In this truncated stepped gable a rectangular facade stone is placed with the name of the country house and two interlace ornaments. The octagonal tower is conceived as a lookout tower and currently possesses a closed crown with a tower roof. Around this is a cornice surrounded by an overhanging balustrade on corbels. In the weathervane which crowns the tower the year 1908 is cut out. The RIGHT SIDE ELEVATION consists of three axes. The broader right elevation part contains on the right a wing built out in the nineteen thirties, provided with a flat and projecting open balustrade. In the front elevation of this outbuilding there is a cross window. The right side elevation is blank. The intermediate axis has two tall monastic windows in each storey. The left axis projects as a risalit far forward and ends in a stepped gable. In front of the first storey there is a projecting bay window with hipped roof, with coupled windows with shutters in the front of the bay window, and several windows in both side elevations. The second storey has a cross window and a single window is situated at the top. The LEFT SIDE ELEVATION can be divided into four volumes. On the right a single-storey section adjoins, closed off by a hipped roof, to this adjoins a section which is drawn above the gutter line as a stepped gable. Subsequently a narrow section projects forward, a flat-roofed volume running through two storeys with an open brick roof edge. Above this flat the roof has been somewhat modified to provide access to the flat. On the left there is a right-angled elevation section of two axes, in which in each storey two windows occur. At cellar level there are in the same vertical axis two two-part cellar lights (inspired by the bulb window). The three volumes are fitted with windows as described whereby in the right section a door is placed and an oval window. In front of the middle elevation section there is an external cellar entrance. For this purpose a brick wall runs across the entire right elevation half. The REAR ELEVATION can be divided into a recessed central section and projecting side risalits which end in stepped gables. In front of the central section is a platform which bridges the level difference to the garden. The platform is surrounded by a brick wall and is accessible via two staircases. Below the platform there are cellar rooms. In the first storey there is a loggia under a balcony on brick pillars. The balcony has an open brick balustrade. Double doors give access to the Hall, they are situated in a composite frame of six windows, flanked by large cross windows. In the side walls of the risalits which open onto the loggia there are panelled doors under segmental arches. The risalits are almost identical with two-part cellar lights at cellar level. In the first storey on the right there is a composite window (on the left these are two cross windows) and in the third storey composite windows with three coupled windows under fanlights. In each gable top a single window. On the left the built-out wing adjoins, with in the rear elevation from left to right a cross window, a three-light window and a two-part window in the cellar zone. The original layout of the INTERIOR consisted of a number of staggered wings grouped around a square core, a Hall with fireplace feature onto which the entrance portal and the various living rooms opened, as well as the monumental staircase feature. On the upper storey there were guest bedrooms and the bedrooms of the owner and his staff. The interior was richly panelled.

The original layout on the ground floor is largely maintained. On the upper storey, in order to fit it out as an apartment, some rooms have been combined. The original elements on the ground floor have largely been preserved. Thus the decoration of the Hall is largely intact, including amongst other things marble flooring, monumental staircase feature with heavy timber balustrade, fireplace mantel, timber ceiling and high panelling. The former billiards room has similar panelling, and a fireplace mantel, as does the dining room, where there is a buffet cabinet incorporated in the panelling. In the entrance portal on the right there is still a cabinet present with the foundation deed of the building.

Valuation

COUNTRY HOUSE `De Wychert' built in 1907 by architect HANRATH

-Of architectural-historical value as a well-preserved and good example of a country house from the beginning of the twentieth century, which displays the characteristics of the New-Historicist Style. The building is notable for its aesthetic qualities in both interior and exterior, such as the fine main form with correct proportions, and the use of materials. The application of a tower is common in villa construction in the surrounding area. The interior, principally on the ground floor, is still intact and underscores the monumental character of the building. De Wychert is a typical work within the oeuvre of Hanrath, who before the First World War was one of the most important innovators of country house architecture.

-Of urban-planning value as a characteristic component of the built environment along the Oude Kleefsebaan, where by virtue of its fine appearance and striking location it plays an important role in determining the townscape.

-Of cultural-historical value as an expression of a social development, as an example of a country house for the well-to-do bourgeoisie at the beginning of the twentieth century, who settled preferentially in villas in the scenically beautiful area of the glacial ridge.