ARCHITECTUURGIDS.NL / ARCHITECTUREGUIDE.NL

OFFICE BUILDING HET VRIJE VOLK

J.J.M. VEGTER, P.A. LEUPEN, 1951-1955, Slaak 34, Rotterdam

ARCHITECT(URAL OFFICE):
Jo Vegter
P.A. Leupen

ARTIST:
Wessel Couzijn

RENOVATOR:
Jeroen Hoorn

BUILDING TYPE:
Office buildings

This office building for the Arbeiderspers ('workers' press') was erected on the ruins of Berlage's building for the Voorwaarts cooperative society. The new building originally had a bookshop on the ground floor, offices including the editorial offices of Het Vrije Volk national daily upstairs and a printworks with lean-to roofs at the back. Among its expressively designed elements are the freestanding concrete parasol-like awning, the trapezium-shaped bay window and the glass display case in front of the shop. The building is a typical product of '50s architecture in its combination of strapping concrete structure, expanses of brick, strips of ribbed concrete between the window bands and accents in stone and mosaic.