v.m. Amsterdamse Bank/Incassobank

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 BANK BUILDING of the former Amsterdam Bank/Incasso Bank, situated on the south side of the Blaak, was built in 1946-1950 by the brothers E. and H. Kraaijvanger. Interior architect M. Grondhout had designed the furniture for the representative spaces. The predecessor of this bank had been severely damaged during the bombardment in May 1940. Until the Second World War, the Blaak was one of the largest inner harbours of Rotterdam. During the war, the Blaak was filled in with rubble from the bombardment. During the reconstruction of Rotterdam, it was decided to divide the centre into various sectors. The financial sector was concentrated on the Blaak and the southern part of the Coolsingel. Banks and insurance companies were the only institutions that had sufficient funds to rebuild the destroyed buildings quickly without government support. In addition to the Incasso Bank, the former Twentse Bank (Blaak 28) and the former Nederlandsche Handelmaatschappij (Blaak 32-34) were also realized quickly. These three properties were built according to the principles established after the war and together form an ensemble. They form a unified monumental wall because they are positioned on a single building line, have the same building height (24 m) and are coordinated in colour. The former Incasso Bank is the right-hand property. On the west side, a property for the American consulate was planned. This was ultimately not executed. Instead, the west wall has connected since 2006 to the entrance to the car park of the residential tower de Coopvaert. Originally the design had a U-shaped floor plan. However, during construction in 1947, the Incasso Bank merged with the Amsterdamsche Bank and more office space was needed. To provide for this, the opening at the rear was closed by a volume of two storeys. In 1977, this volume was increased by three storeys. On the front facade was a sculpture by P. Starreveld ("Nakie van Blakie"), representing Prosperity, which was relocated in 1979 to a branch on the Coolsingel. The property was equipped with then-advanced technical facilities and installations, such as the use of fluorescent lighting, central heating and air ventilation. The two-storey high work space for staff and the gallery on the first storeys were originally lit by a skylight with a glass ceiling. In this skylight, acoustic Treetex Wonderwood panels were fitted to reduce noise resulting from the use of typewriters and accounting machines, and fluorescent lighting was installed. Nowadays the work space at the level of the second storey is covered with a glass roof. In 1999, the building was renovated by the architecture firm Kraaijvanger Urbis, whereby the interior was substantially altered. Some monumental components such as the tower with the staircase, some conference rooms and safes were retained. The exterior has been well preserved. When the facades were cleaned in 1982, the grey glaze layer was removed, so that the dark red brick colour is now visible. In addition, the steel profiles of some windows have been replaced with slightly wider profiles. Recently, the sliding door at the entrance has been replaced. The decorative grilles with zodiac images for these sliding doors are currently stored. The intention is to reconstruct and restore them where necessary. Subsequently, they will be replaced. In the former canteen, the cupola-shaped ceiling was provided with a painting by A. Canta. This painting was removed in 1999. At present, the property is used by the Chamber of Commerce (2009).

Description

The former BANK BUILDING, comprising seventeen window axes, was intended to convey strength and reliability. The result was a building constructed in traditional architectural style with a rectangular floor plan and flat roofs. Originally, the floor plan was U-shaped, so that sufficient light entered from the rear. Due to the merger with the Amsterdamsche Bank, this opening was closed during the construction of the building. To still provide sufficient daylight, the height of the extension was limited to two storeys. The structure is constructed with a skeleton of reinforced concrete. The brick facades are provided with heavily pronounced plinths and projecting cornices. The west facade is partially blind due to the planned construction of the American consulate. The south facade contains the service entrance. In the east facade is access to the in-house transformer station. Above this entrance is a facade stone by N. Klaassen with a stylized figure depicted with electricity symbols. Next to the service entrance are three narrow entrances to respectively a residential apartment, a bicycle storage and a staff entrance. The windows are provided with Portland stone frames. Below the windows of the ground floor are low reliefs designed by N. Klaassen. These images concern symbols of the former Amsterdamsche Bank/Incasso Bank. It is noteworthy that behind the original windows the secondary glazing dating from the construction period is still present. The semi-circular entrance is located at the corner between the front facade and the right-hand side facade and is provided over several storeys with bands of Swiss granite with a low relief of Portland stone designed by N. Klaassen. The low reliefs depict animals against a background of tendrils (symbols of fertility). Above the three also semi-circular windows above the entrance are three doves as a symbol for peace. The non-original sliding door in the entrance is framed with polished black Swedish granite. The original gold-coloured decorative grille is currently stored and will be replaced. Both the turnstiles and the side doors are executed in glass and set in profiles of gold and brown-coloured anodized aluminium. Above the entrance section is a round roof structure of two storeys covered with a dome roof.

INTERIOR The interior was luxuriously executed and was a reflection of the bank's wealth. The round and oval spaces were furnished as representative spaces. Behind the entrance is the round reception hall and the marble staircase with copper balustrades designed by K. Gellings leading to the first floor and the basement. In the basement are the safe deposit and the coupon halls. The safe deposit, within which the original fluorescent lighting is still present, is accessible via a heavy safe. In the coupon halls, the doors and wall panelling with inlay work designed by M. Grondhout have been preserved. On the ground floor are, among other things, the reception hall and the cash hall. On the first floor, around the former two-storey high work space for staff (now a light well), a gallery runs. Attached to this gallery are the director's office and a conference room. From the gallery, the management could supervise the staff. Both rooms have parquet flooring. On the second floor is an oval conference room with parquet floor. In the round roof structure was the canteen. Here, among other things, the original parquet floor and the lighting are still present. The floors are accessed by multiple service stairs, service lifts, visitor lifts and book lifts. The floors and stair treads are executed in Tuscan Travertine. The floors in the entrance hall and in the circular safe deposit in the basement are black marble inlaid with comblanchien decorations. The wall panelling, stairs and counters are executed in durable natural stone. The designs for the decorations in the floors were made by N. Klaassen.

Valuation

The BUILDING of the former Amsterdam Bank/Incasso Bank is of general importance because of:

- the high urban design value of the ensemble of three adjacent bank buildings from the same construction period, of which the building of the former Amsterdamsche Bank/Incasso Bank is the right-hand property;

- the cultural-historical value as an example of the rapid and early reconstruction of the banking sector, particularly in Rotterdam;

- the significance of the former Amsterdamsche Bank/Incasso Bank for economic history;

- the architectural-historical value due to the presence of monumental and applied art;

- the architectural-historical value as a good example of a traditional and monumental building style;

- the importance in the oeuvre of the brothers Kraaijvanger;

- The importance of the monumental and applied art designed by N. Klaassen for this bank building for her oeuvre.