Woonhuis, Wilhelminasingel 40

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

Two MANSIONS with IRONWORK FENCING, built in 1902 for and presumably also by contractor H. BARTELS. Both houses form part of the continuous western facade wall of this street, which in turn is part of the so-called '19th-century belt' of Nijmegen. This urban development with tree-lined avenues from the period 1880-1920 is protected as a cityscape. The separation of the front gardens by ironwork fencing is characteristic of this area. The houses are designed in a Transitional architecture, in which features of Art Nouveau and Neo-Renaissance can be found. It is striking that the facades of the properties are executed differently than they are indicated on the building drawing from 1898. Whereas on the drawing they were still symmetrical and primarily related to Neo-Renaissance, in reality they are now asymmetrically arranged and elaborately designed. Although the layout of both houses is virtually identical, they distinguish themselves from each other through the applied facade design.

Description

Two basement mansions with three storeys and a flat roof. The third storey is provided on the front with a continuous roof section that is covered with asphalt tiles and is furnished with two original roof dormers with catslide roofs. The verges of both dormers are provided with carved heads. The FRONT FACADES of both houses each have a division into two bays, which is further emphasized by the use of two colours of brick, combined with a higher continuous facade section. At number 40, the right bay is extended higher and terminated with a 'shoulder gable'. The left bay of number 42 has a stepped, straight-ended termination with a brick balustrade. On both properties, the upper storey is partly executed in red brick. Both higher extended bays and a vertical axis between both properties are laid in grey brick. The properties are roughly mirrored to each other as far as layout is concerned. In each facade, however, the various facade details are applied differently, creating a very varied facade appearance. At both properties, the basement storey is characterized by a breast wall executed in ashlar stone with basement windows and above it a three-sided bay window on the right with the entrance section to the left of it and a window. The breast wall is finished with a profile strip. At both properties, the higher-situated entrance section is accessible via a number of ashlar stone steps, at number 40 still provided with the original stair railing. The original front door, executed in Art Nouveau style, is provided with wrought ironwork and is located in a frame which at number 40 is provided with a fanlight, formed by two small brick columns between three narrow fanlights and a partly plastered surround. The entrance section of number 42 has a semi-circular ended fanlight with leaded glass fill. Above both doors, between the door frame and fanlight, there is an obliquely placed small canopy with iron supports executed in whip-lash motifs. To the left of the door, at both properties, there is a large sash window, the fanlight of which at number 40 still has a centre muntin. The windows have a decorated ashlar stone lintel. The ground floor of both facades has a strong horizontal effect through the broad decorative bands in plasterwork, which are absent again on the upper storeys. Both three-sided bay windows each contain three sash windows, which at number 40 are still provided with the original centre muntins in the fanlights. The lintels above the windows are worked and the closing profiled gutter is broken at the location of the middle window by a brick balustrade of the balcony projecting from the bay window. The plastered cornice with vases is no longer present at number 42. The double glazed door that opens onto the balcony of number 40 is located in a wide frame that is finished in a basket arch form and is provided with side and top lights. The basket arch is executed in red brick and provided with plastered elements. Above this, in the extended facade section, are two narrow windows, separated by a brick column and connected to each other by a lintel and transom. The shoulder gable is provided with coping stones and a plastered finish. On the storey of the left bay of 40 and the right bay of 42, there is the same type of window, which at 42 is, however, executed as a balcony door frame. A large sash door is provided with two lower narrow side lights, a continuous window sill and a stepped plastered and decorated lintel finish at the top. Above both frames is a profiled gutter on consoles and a plastered architrave strip. Between these, as a division between both properties, there is a built-up section with an ashlar stone finish. The storey windows of 42 have a round arch-shaped finish in red brick. The coupled round arches have plastered springes and keystones. In the extended facade section are two narrow windows, separated by a brick column and connected to each other by a lintel and transom. The facade section is finished straight with a brick balustrade.

The SIDE FACADES of both properties are not visible. The tall REAR FACADES are plastered at both properties and have a projecting section on the right side. In this section are the windows and the access door to the basement and the windows of the three storeys above, coupled in pairs. The original sash and sash doors in these facades are still most original at number 40. Only the fanlights have been adapted. All windows are located in segmental arch-shaped window openings, in which venetian blinds originally also hung. These are still present at number 42 on two storeys. In the recessed section to the left at both properties, above the built-out basement, there is a wooden flat-roofed conservatory. This was originally connected to the garden by means of a wooden staircase. At number 40, the conservatory and stair railings are still original and provided with woodcarving and double sliding doors. At number 42, a wooden terrace has been built out in front of the original conservatory, which is connected to the garden by means of a staircase on the side. Above the conservatories, in the recessed facade section, is a wide segmental arch-shaped facade opening in which a balcony door frame is incorporated. On the third storey of each property are two segmental arch-shaped windows.

The SPATIAL LAYOUT is preserved at both properties and still provided with many original INTERIOR COMPONENTS. The interior of number 40 is best preserved in its original state. At each property, the two bays of each house are separated by a hallway with two rooms on the left side with the large stairwell between them. On the right side is the room en suite with attached conservatory. The basement also has a central hallway with originally a large kitchen on the side of the Wilhelminasingel, the mangling room, pantry, cellar, boiler room and cleaning room. A striking component in the properties are the large centrally located staircases which are lit from above by a skylight. The stair balusters are of wrought iron. The hallways have marble floors. At number 40, the front vestibule has a mosaic floor and a stucco ceiling. Also in the front room of the room en suite is still a stucco ceiling present. The stucco ceiling in the back room disappeared in the war. The layout of this room is preserved with chimney mantels executed in Neo-Renaissance style (one has been renewed), wood panelling, sliding doors, panel doors and wooden floors. It is striking that the panel doors on the hall side are provided with richly worked surrounds with built-up sections in which flower vases are incorporated. Similar surrounds are (unpainted) to be found at the property Kronenburgersingel 231. In the hallway there are also flat stucco decorations applied on the walls. Also on the storey are a single chimney mantel and a stucco ceiling still preserved. The skylight on the flat roof still has the original wood panelling on the inside. In the basement, the kitchen has been renovated.

At number 42, the richly worked built-up sections are absent in the hallway, but the original panel doors, the front vestibule with draught doors, mosaic floor and the stucco decorations on the walls are still present. In the room en suite, the original sliding doors and one stucco ceiling are still present, but there are no original chimney mantels. These are, however, present on the storey in the room en suite. In some places, leaded glass is still present on the rear of the property. The basement still has the original kitchen with granito floors, cupboards, a fireplace and tiling to half height. The tile floors of the basement hallway and the basement are also still original.

The front gardens are separated by a continuous IRONWORK FENCE. The particularly richly executed ironwork consists of four brick columns, partly plastered, provided with built-up sections and interconnected by ironwork fencing executed in wrought iron in a style influenced by Art Nouveau. The ironwork is located on a low brick wall and is provided with rotating sections.

Valuation

Two MANSIONS with continuous GARDEN FENCE from 1902, forming part of a residential block that was developed around this time. Both houses were designed by H. Bartels.

- Of architectural-historical value as a well-preserved example of a number of coupled mansions, built in the urban development of Nijmegen in a Transitional architecture that is particularly influenced by Neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau. This building style is typical of part of the development along the Singels in Nijmegen. The properties stand out because of their richly detailed front facades, partly mirrored in design from each other. The dwellings have retained their characteristic building volume, their architecture, the decoration scheme well and are also largely original in their interior.

- Of urban design value as part of the so-called '19th-century belt' of Nijmegen, which is protected as a cityscape. Characteristic elements of this urban development such as the continuous facade walls with alternating bay windows, balconies, roof dormers and front gardens with ironwork fences, are also present here. This fence stands out because of its design influenced by Art Nouveau.

- Of cultural-historical value as a recognizable element of a social development. The property was built as housing for the new and wealthy urban elite, which preferably settled in substantial mansions in the newly laid out streets around the old city; an urban expansion that became possible with the removal of the fortifications at the end of the 19th century.