Nutsbedrijf, Thornsestraat tegenover 18

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

TRANSFORMATOR HUT built in 1930 on commission of the Provinciale Geldersche Electriciteits Maatschappij (P.G.E.M.). The small building is attractively situated in the meadow landscape of the polder area at the hamlet of Wercheren and stands directly on the through-running Thornsestraat. The basis of the building forms a transformer hut of the standard type (A3R) which has been placed on a substructure with a rounded arch-shaped gateway. This elevation was necessary due to the increased risk of flooding in this area. The distinctive main form makes it a rare type among transformer huts from the Interwar period. The hut is quite soberly executed in terms of facade treatment, but contains as a crowning of the tall gables a striking hipped roof with overhang, which gives the whole a tower-like appearance.

The hut has remained in relatively good condition. A comparable, but flat-roofed hut is located on the Hezelstraat in the same Ooypolder. However, this hut is in poor condition.

Description

The two-storey high TRANSFORMER HUT is constructed in brownish-red brick on a rectangular ground plan and is covered with a high hipped roof with the ridge parallel to the street. The hips are covered with slate in Maas coverage and drainage takes place via an overhanging wooden gutter and two downpipes along the rear facade. The facades have a slightly projected continuous plinth of black-painted brick. The substructure is laid in English bond and the superstructure in stretcher bond. The arch of the gateway is marked with a three-brick roll course and at the transition between the two storeys a single roll course is laid. Ventilation openings are present in all facades, fitted with small dust flaps. The FRONT FACADE on the Thornsestraat has in the upper storey three bays with for the two right bays a steel platform with balustrade, provided with a step ladder along the facade of the hut. The platform gives access to two steel doors with heavy hinges, of which the one in the middle bay is positioned lower in the facade. The doors have iron plates with the standard warning text. The left bay has a blind section of the same dimensions as the door in the right bay. Above this field is text in tiles reading 'provinciale elektriciteitsmaatschappij', in yellow on blue and with the typeface known for the company. Above the middle door are two small square openings filled with glass bricks and under the roof overhang a steel lifting beam has been placed. The sober REAR FACADE has in the upper storey two square openings filled with glass bricks. The narrow LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FACADES are both blind. The RIGHT SIDE FACADE has four connection points for the electricity overhead lines, which are now gone.

Valuation

TRANSFORMATOR HUT on substructure, built in 1930

-Of architectural historical value as a well-preserved and rare typological example of a transformer hut from the Interwar period which owes its distinctive main form to the flooding risk in the area. The hut stands out because of the gateway-shaped elevation on which it is placed and because of the fine proportions of the building of the tall narrow form which is terminated by a shallow sloping hipped roof.

-Of urban planning value as a functional component of the Ooypolder area, where because of its striking vertical form it plays an image-determining and marking role in the meadow landscape.

-Of cultural historical value because of the purpose and form of the small building, which is connected to the development of the electrification of the river region.