Ivensbank

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

Seating bench from 1936 with inscription 'C.A.P. Ivens Bank' designed by Nijmegen architect CHARLES ESTOURGIE (1884-1950). The bench is located at a height, at the edge of Hunnerpark and overlooks the Waalbrug, creating a clear relationship between bench and bridge. The park is located to the northeast of Nijmegen's centre and forms part of the ring road development on the former fortifications. The bench is surrounded by oak and beech trees. The object is located within the townscape of Nijmegen, which has been protected since 1980.

The bench was erected in honour of Nijmegen photographer C.A.P. Ivens, father of filmmaker Joris Ivens and founder of the company Capilux. From 1906 onwards, Ivens championed the construction of the Waalbrug, which would have major social and economic consequences for the city. Through its use of materials and principal form, the bench has a robust character that is typical of monuments from the Interwar period.

Description

The bench has a low and broad main form and is built of large handmade red brick in English bond. The rear wall of the bench is concavely curved and terminates in two short cylinders laid in header bond. The centre of the rear wall is slightly raised and has a decorative band in pink sandstone on which the name of the bench is executed in high relief. Below this band, the city coat of arms of Nijmegen is incorporated in the backrest. The corner pillars have similar decorative bands with the years '1905' (left) and '1936' (right), referring respectively to the year Ivens first advocated for the construction of the bridge and the year the bridge was completed. On the front, the cylinders have short sandstone buttresses. The low seating of the bench is made of wood and is supported by curved wrought-iron legs. In the front board of the seating, the following text is executed in deep relief: 'Tribute to the tireless champion for the Waal bridge crossing'. The space in front of the bench and between the pillars is filled with a convexly curved paving of bricks in herringbone bond.

Valuation

C.A.P. IVENS BANK from 1936 by CHARLES ESTOURGIE.

-Of architectural-historical value as a fine and good example of a seating bench, such as were frequently erected during the years between the two world wars as a monument to an esteemed person. The bench is characterised by a distinctive curved and squat main form and robust use of materials.

-The bench is of urban planning value as part of Hunnerpark which forms part of Nijmegen's ring road structure. The bench is situated in a very prominent location here, on a slope along the slip roads of the Waalbrug and has high ensemble values with the surrounding park.

-Of cultural-historical value as a monument erected in honour of an important Nijmegen entrepreneur and advocate for the construction of the Nijmegen bridge, a river crossing that has brought great social and economic benefit to the city. The bench is thus visually and historically connected to the Waalbrug.