Opheem

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

The VILLA, named 'OPHEEM', was probably built in 1920 for paper manufacturer C.F.D. Beuker after a design in Gooise country house style by architect P.J.W.J. van der Burgh in collaboration with ing. F. Eschauzier. The house originally had an approximately square ground plan. At the instigation of Mr Beuker, the house was extended in a north-westerly direction and in style in 1929 after a design by architect H.C. Dorlas jr. from Renkum. Characteristic of this villa are among others the varied roof form with the composite thatched roof; several striking chimneys; bay windows, balconies and terraces as links between house and garden; the variation in size and type of leaded light windows; the varied ground plan with rooms of different sizes and specialisation of functions.

The house is situated in a small villa district in the north-east of the village centre of Heelsum (expansion plan by Jos Cuypers from 1920). In the heart of this district and at the highest point of the uneven terrain stands a hotel. From this centre point a radial street pattern was laid out in a westerly direction. Bloemenlaan serves as the main entrance to the district (intersection with Bennekomseweg and Utrechtseweg) and straight approach road to the hotel. The detached villa "Opheem" is situated at the beginning of Bloemenlaan.

Description

Partly-cellared VILLA of one storey and thatched roof (containing a first floor and/or an attic storey) on an approximately rectangular ground plan. The composite and broken hipped roof is thatched and has abutments of various sizes and ridge height at the location of risalits, balcony and projecting sections. Red thatch ridges are mortared on the ridges. Above the main entrance the name 'OPHEEM' is incorporated in the thatch covering. The silhouette is dominated by three substantial chimneys. The kitchen-chimney against the right side gable is mortared from ground level. The shafts are provided with decorative relief brickwork. At the level of the attic storey (left building section) three roof dormers are provided, each with a three-light semicircular window.

The brick facades with cement mortar are mortared in half-brick bond. In several places a buttress extending to the first storey is employed. The recessed window openings are of various sizes and are provided with green-painted single, composite or cross windows. The white-painted windows (fixed, casement, pivot) have transparent leaded light glass. The drip moulds are executed in brick. On the ground floor the windows can be closed by panel shutters (dark red panel, black border).

An extended and completely open porch (wooden canopy with wire glass on mortared pillars) leads to the front door approximately in the middle of the long FRONT FACADE on Bloemenlaan. The oak panel door is provided with a spy window with wrought iron grille. The door is flanked on both sides by narrow and tall side lights in wooden frames. Above this entrance the aforementioned name 'OPHEEM' is incorporated in the thatch covering. Above this inscription is located on the first floor a broad arch-shaped roof dormer with composite window. The entrance is flanked on both sides by a rounded off gable top drawn up over two storeys with wooden bay window. The plinth of the bay window is executed in brick and the panels between the ground floor and the first storey are puttied over. The symmetrically arranged LEFT SIDE FACADE has on the ground floor two double garden doors with side and fanlight and awnings. At the level of the first storey in the thatched roof a loggia with arch-shaped closure is omitted. In the attic storey the two aforementioned semicircular roof dormers are provided. The asymmetrically arranged REAR FACADE has on the right side a broad rounded off gable top drawn up over two storeys with wooden bay window (identical to that of the front facade). To the left of this is located the dining room with an extension related to the bay window (composite window on stone plinth with double terrace door and leaded light windows). The terrace is covered: wooden flat roof on like posts. The balcony on the first storey is enclosed by a rounded off abutment. The ground floor of the service section adjoining to the left is somewhat lower in height. This section has a corner-wrapping roof dormer with flat. A puttied-over wooden roof dormer with flat in the middle of the roof lights the stairwell. In the RIGHT SIDE FACADE is located a rounded arch-shaped service entrance with like panel door between two windows. The mortared chimney to the left of this is drawn up from ground level and provided with relief brickwork. The SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT of the ground floor consists of circulation spaces in the middle at the front (vestibule annex cloakroom, hall annex stairwell) and a dining room in the middle at the rear; to the left of the middle the living rooms smoking room and living room and to the right of the middle the service rooms kitchen, scullery and storage place. The provision and coal cellar are located beneath the service section. The separate wine cellar is situated beneath the hall. The INTERIOR possesses a very richly executed vestibule annex cloakroom in Art Deco style. The so-called Spanish tile floor is red with a border around and rosettes in various shades of grey, black and yellow. The walls are approximately three-quarters tiled in colours green for the plinth and three shades of beige for the panel division above. Between the different colours strips of black tile(-strips) are incorporated. The open passage between vestibule and cloakroom is flanked by rounded walls tapering towards the top. In the head of these walls lamps are incorporated with stained leaded light caps (stylised flower and leaf motifs). Part of the cloakroom form: an umbrella stand, a marble washbasin, a wall mirror with a leaded light frame, a toilet. Otherwise the interior possesses among others parquet floors and (mahogany) wooden chimneypieces in the smoking room and living room; parquet floor and oak straight staircase in the hall; wooden panel doors and marble window sills.

Valuation

VILLA "OPHEEM", from circa 1920 with an extension from 1929.

- Of architectural historical value as a representative and virtually intact example of a villa in Gooise country house style after a design by architect P.J.W.J. van der Burgh in collaboration with ir. F. Eschauzier (first building phase) and architect H.C. Dorlas jr. (extension). The building is of importance because of the high aesthetic qualities of the design, as these are expressed in the varied roof form characteristic of this building tradition, the picturesque silhouette and the open ground plan. The building has a particularly fine interior with an open ground plan, a great differentiation of rooms/functions, and richly executed components such as the vestibule annex cloakroom in Art Deco style.

- Of urban planning value as part of a sub-urban villa district laid out on uneven terrain in the nineteen-twenties with a radial street pattern after a design by architect Jos. Cuypers, in which the building plays an image-defining role because of its striking location at the beginning of Bloemenlaan.

- Of cultural historical value as a particular expression of a social and societal development characteristic of the municipality of Renkum between 1850 and 1940, namely the immigration of (newly) wealthy people to beautiful rural areas in the surroundings of a city; in this case a substantial residence in a sub-urban villa district in the southern Veluwezoom, which is furthermore of importance for the typological development of the country house in the Netherlands during the interwar period.