ARCHITECTUURGIDS.NL / ARCHITECTUREGUIDE.NL

OFFICE BUILDING NV W. VAN DRIEL

J.H. DE ROOS, W.F. OVEREIJNDER, -1915, Maaskade 113, Rotterdam

ARCHITECT(URAL OFFICE):
De Roos & Overeijnder
Herman de Roos
Willem Overeijnder

ARTIST:
Willem Bogtman

BUILDING TYPE:
Office buildings

This office building for Willem van Driel's steamship and transport enterprise looks down on its neighbours thanks to the steeply rising roof which originally bore the firm's name. The facade is of pale yellow stone; the main entrance and five tall windows on the first floor terminate in round arches. A balustrade sports the armorial bearings of Rotterdam, Antwerp and Opijnen (the village where Van Driel was born) and decorations including sea horses, other fish and caduceuses. Even the standards of the two bronze flagpoles are made up of stylized fish. The remarkably opulent interior has a leaded-glass dome some four metres in diameter decorated with signs of the zodiac. Since 1979 the building has been occupied by an estate agent (Ooms).