Het
Schip, Amsterdam, Holland
Architect
|
Michel de Klerk
|
Date Built
|
1913 - 1914
|
Location
|
Amsterdam district of Spaarndammerbuurt |
Description
|
Michel de Klerk was
one of the founders of the famous architectural
movement known as the Amsterdamse School.
In the Spaarndammerbuurt district of Amsterdam,
you will find three residential blocks designed
by de Klerk that were built between 1913 and
1914 for a social housing association. The
centrepiece of this development is Het Schip, so
named because it resembles a ship, complete with
funnel-like chimneys and a prominent prow-like
front. Today Het Schip is still a
residential complex but it also houses a museum
dedicated to the Amsterdamse School.
The Het Schip website says of de Klerk's
creation, "On a truly
impossible triangular lot, De Klerk moulded
the most bizarre shapes into an
unforgettable and world-famous unit. While
the construction was highly controversial,
the block was put up in all its
ex-centricity. Regarding its importance, Jos
Keppler has noted: 'Admirers of Het Schip
are not imbued with retrospective nostalgia.
This building makes a statement for social
housing construction; it encourages us to
continue building with respect for the
residents."
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