Handel en kantoor, Blaak 34

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 Dutch Trading Company (Nederlandse Handelsmaatschappij), located on the south side of the Blaak, was built between 1945 and 1947 by C. Elffers in collaboration with A. van Nieuwenhuyzen. The predecessor of this building was severely damaged during the bombardment in May 1940. Until the Second World War, the Blaak was one of Rotterdam's largest inner harbours. During the war, the Blaak was filled in with rubble from the bombardment. During the rebuilding of Rotterdam, it was decided to divide the centre of Rotterdam into various sectors. The financial sector was concentrated on the Blaak and the southern part of the Coolsingel. Banks and insurers were the only institutions that had sufficient funds to rapidly rebuild the destroyed buildings without government support. Besides the Dutch Trading Company, the Twentsche Bank (Blaak 28) and the former Amsterdamsche bank/Incassobank (Blaak 40) were also rapidly realised. These three buildings were constructed in accordance with the principles established after the war and together form an ensemble. They form a unified monumental facade because they are positioned on the same building line, have the same building height (24 m) and are coordinated in colour. The former Dutch Trading Company is the middle building. After the merger in 1964 with the former Twentsche Bank to form the General Bank Netherlands (ABN), the two buildings were connected at the level of the third storey by a skybridge. The building was equipped with progressive technical facilities and installations of the time, such as central heating, fluorescent lighting, internal telephone system and air ventilation. In 1998-2000 the building was renovated by the architecture firm Kraaijvanger Urbis. The exterior has remained intact, except for the window profiles. The steel profiles were replaced with aluminium ones. In the interior, the light court was built up to the first storey. The fourth and fifth storeys still have the original layout: office rooms opening onto a corridor surrounding the light court. The light court is equipped with a raised glass roof. The former notary's office, the coupon hall, the coupon rooms in the basement, the director's offices on the ground floor and the conference room on the first storey are presumably no longer present. On the fourth storey there was originally a service flat. Additionally, specially designed furniture, such as the round bench with dark leather seats designed by H. Petri surrounding a wooden sculpture representing the Phoenix bird, is no longer present. The building is currently in use by the municipality (2009).

Description

The former BANK BUILDING was meant to convey strength and security. The result was a solid and restrained bank building constructed in a traditional, monumental architectural style. The facades are set within a concrete skeleton and constructed in yellow-brown hand-formed Flemish brick, decorated with ornamental brickwork, natural stone and sculptures. At the level of the ground floor and in the rear facade as well as the basement, they are fitted with wrought-iron grilles with lattice motifs. The balustrades of the lowest windows and those of the fourth storey are fitted with ornamental brickwork, likewise with a lattice motif. The projecting cornice is executed in decorative concrete. The wings surrounding the light court have a flat roof. Two low roof structures equipped with concrete flagpoles for machine room lifts, purification systems and a carpentry workshop are positioned on top of the roof. These roof structures were connected by open galleries with concrete columns. Originally, a roof terrace was situated between the galleries. Asymmetrically positioned in the front facade is the stately main entrance with bronze doors, framed by French limestone. The entrance is equipped with a raised landing, natural stone steps and bronze railings. On the front of the landing is a bronze emblem of the Dutch Trading Company, designed by N. Klaassen. On top of the bronze canopy are two groups of mermaids. Below the canopy are ceiling lights of white frosted glass. In the entrance are a heavy gold-coloured turnstile and side doors and a sliding gate. On the left in the front facade is another bronze entrance with two sculptured women above it symbolising truth and loyalty. In the rear facade is a service entrance constructed in steel and glass. In the right side facade is an entrance with a heavily profiled stone frame fitted with bronze doors providing access to the safe and the bank vault. On top of this entrance are two natural stone sculptures designed by H. Petri representing a "Key Keeper" and a "Money Carrier". In the panels of the bronze doors are symbols of currency signs, locks and keys. In the left side facade are two doors providing access to the internal transformer room. In the facade beneath the later constructed skybridge is decorated with ornamental brickwork. Additionally, some windows in this facade are fitted with steel grilles.

Interior: The richly designed building is composed of a basement, subfloor and five office storeys. The massive safes in the basement date from just after the war. Besides these, there are, among others, a lift gate, a lift board, bronze umbrella stands and light fixtures from the time of construction. In the subfloor is, among other things, the identification hall with marble floors and a marble counter set between terrazzo pillars. On the ground floor is the reception hall with the public hall on the left side and a clock designed by N. Klaassen. Behind the reception hall are the circular securities hall and closed office spaces. In the securities hall are the coats of arms of Rotterdam and Amsterdam. The storeys are accessed by several lifts: public lifts, a director's lift and staff lifts. In addition, there are several service stairs. The public stairwells are fitted with granite stairs with glass and steel balustrades and wooden handrails. The richly designed interior has been largely preserved. There are many marble applications, wooden panelling, decorated bronze doors and columns, ornaments and some applied artworks. In the marble and wooden floors, wall panelling and ceilings, star-shaped motifs are frequently applied.

Valuation

The BANK BUILDING of the former Dutch Trading Company is of significance:

- because of the high urban planning value of the ensemble of three adjacent bank buildings from the same building period, of which the building of the former Dutch Trading Company is the middle one;

- because of its architectural historical value as an example of rapid post-war reconstruction architecture in a traditional and monumental architectural style and because of the application of a substantial volume with light court;

- from a cultural-historical perspective for the significance of the Dutch Trading Company to the economic history of the Netherlands;

- because of the aesthetic value resulting from the use of yellow-brown hand-formed Flemish brick and the application of decorations with ornamental brickwork, natural stone and sculptures;

- because of its significance in the oeuvre of C. Elffers and A. van Nieuwenhuyzen;

- because of the significance of, in particular, the bronze emblem on the front of the landing in the oeuvre of N. Klaassen.