PRESS FEATURE Amsterdam School In 2016 we are celebrating 100 years of the Amsterdam School. Though the name may suggest otherwise, this architectural style in fact refers to a period in which several architects pursued new ideals regarding architecture, design and building a better society. The pioneers were three befriended architects: Joan van der Mey, Michel de Klerk and Piet Kramer. They came to international prominence with buildings such as Het Schip and the Scheepvaarthuis. The style also spread to other parts of the Netherlands, with notable examples including Park Meerwijk in Bergen, Hilversum Town Hall, and the former Radio Kootwijk transmitter park in the Veluwe region. The Amsterdam School is most renowned for its construction of high- quality working class dwellings, with a style characterised by extensive and creative use of brickwork, decorated facades and cast iron details. Bridges and churches were also built in this style. Hildo Krop, the principal sculptor of the Amsterdam School movement, created sculptures for countless bridges and public buildings in Amsterdam. These can still be admired throughout the entire Amsterdam region. The movement was not only manifested in architecture but also in interior objects such as lamps, clocks, mirrors, doorknobs, textiles and furniture, for example by furniture makers Harry Dreesen and Louis Deen. The Amsterdam School architectural style was applied widely in the 1910s and 1920s, but was to be overshadowed in Amsterdam by the Bauhaus and De Stijl movements following the Second World War. A renewed interest in the style emerged towards the end of the 1960s, however, and a whole century later we are now celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Amsterdam School. Het Scheepvaarthuis Joan van der Mey is generally recognised as the father of the Amsterdam School. In 1911, the City of Amsterdam appointed Van der Mey as their first ‘aesthetic adviser’. He designed many bridges, urinals and other public works. He also continued to work as an independent architect and was awarded the prestigious assignment of designing Het Scheepvaarthuis in 1912. | Page 2 of 4 Het Scheepvaarthuis (also known in English as 'The Shipping House') is seen as the official start of this architectural style. Van der Mey composed a team of various artists and architects for the design and execution of the building. Members on the team included Piet Kramer and Michel de Klerk, with whom he had worked previously at the architectural office of Eduard Cuypers – the nephew of the famous Pierre Cuypers, architect of the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Central Station. Van den Eijnde, Krop and Brouwer (sculptures) and Bogtman (stained glass) were also part of the team. Het Scheepvaarthuis stands out for the synthesis of building and interior decoration to create a comprehensive aesthetic experience (Gesamtkunstwerk). The first section of the building opened in 1916, the second in 1928. This national monument now houses the luxury Grand Hotel Amrâth Amsterdam. Housing Museum Het Schip, known in English as 'Museum the Ship' and also referred to as the 'workers’ palace', is a leading example of the Amsterdam School approach to social housing. Designed by Michel de Klerk for a housing association in 1919, this iconic building consists of 102 apartments, a meeting place and a post office. The building now accommodates a museum dedicated to the Amsterdam School. Museum Het Schip also has an annex in the complex known as De Dageraad (translated as 'The Dawn') in the Diamantbuurt, created by De Klerk and Kramer. This area is part of Hendrik Berlage’s plan for the southern district of Amsterdam ('Plan Zuid'), which drew heavily on the Amsterdam School style. De Dageraad houses temporary exhibitions and a museum shop with information about the Amsterdam School. Theater Tuschinski Besides architects, sculptors and furniture makers, the Amsterdam School also inspired businesses, hotels, restaurants and even the theatre world. The famous Tuschinski cinema was built between 1918 and 1921, in which Abraham Icek Tuschinski combined different styles: Amsterdam School, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, with its entrance hall as grand example. It is certainly one of the most impressive cinemas in the city. Hotel The Grand The building at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197 was once the site of two medieval monasteries, which later became known as the Prinsenhof and housed the offices of the Admiralty of Amsterdam – the precursor of the navy. This is where Prince William of Orange stayed during his visit to | Page 3 of 4 Amsterdam in 1581. After the royal lodgings moved elsewhere, the city council temporarily took up offices here between 1652 and 1656 after the city hall went up in flames. The end of the 19th century saw the end of the Admiralty, and the building again became the official City Hall – all the way through until 1988. In 1923 the City Hall was expanded with a wing in the Amsterdam School style. The wing was designed by architects Nicolaas Lansdorp and Allard Remco Hulshoff and is a strong example of the Amsterdam School. The premises were converted into the five-star hotel The Grand in 1992. This hotel is famed for its remarkable interior, with its room designs from the 1920s still perfectly preserved. The Marriage Chamber – with murals by Chris Lebeau – and the Council Chamber – with works by Mendes da Costa, John Raedecker and Hildo Krop – are striking examples. One of the most memorable events to occur in the building was the civil marriage of the then-princess Beatrix, the former Queen of the Netherlands, in 1966. 100 years of Amsterdam School A number of organisations are organising special events, conventions and exhibitions in this jubilee year. Some examples: Stedelijk Museum: Living in the Amsterdam School. Designs for the Interior 1910-1930 (9 April - 28 August 2016). Amsterdam Heritage Days (10 & 11 September 2016) pays tribute to the Amsterdam School (five extra openings). ARCAM (Architectuur Centrum Amsterdam): 100 Years of Inspiration (14 April - 30 September 2016). Amsterdam School Museum Het Schip will open its new expansion in residential block Het Schip this spring. A tour of the Scheepvaarthuis takes place every Sunday. Also, special bus and walking routes have been created between the Amsterdam School Museum Het Schip and the Stedelijk Museum. This collaboration has resulted in a map indicating various Amsterdam School buildings and objects throughout the city. For more information about the activities please visit www.amsterdamseschool100jaar.nl #AmsterdamseSchool | Page 4 of 4 Amsterdam, April 2016 Note to editor: The information may be freely referenced or copied if the source is credited: www.iamsterdam.com. The above information is subject to change and Amsterdam Marketing accepts no responsibility for inaccuracies in published information. Public information: www.iamsterdam.com Amsterdam Marketing Press Office Email: [email protected] Images: http://mediabank.iamsterdam.com/ Telephone: +31(0)20 702 6265 About Amsterdam Marketing Amsterdam Marketing is the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area’s city marketing organisation, active in the fields of promotion, information, research and the provision of services. The organisation is dedicated to placing the region firmly on the map as one of the five most attractive European metropolises for residents, visitors and companies. Amsterdam Marketing uses the I amsterdam motto to profile the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area as an international metropolis in which to live and work, an appealing travel destination and a breeding ground for innovation. .