Garden Village Buiksloterham North: a myriad of stylistic references part 2

As a result of the canal reservation that still separates the northern and southern sections of the Tuindorp Buiksloterham these are widely regarded as two separate garden villages. As the northern southern part was developed by several housing associations and the Amsterdam Housing Service combined,  this section of the garden village can be subdivided in a number of stylistically uniform  developments of which the two southern (Latherusbuurt-Noord and Latherusbuurt-Zuid) and western (Bloemenbuurt-West) neighbourhoods will be shown in this series of impressions.

This Montessori school is part of the Northern Latherus Neighbourhood that stretches from the Azalestraat to the Berberisstraat. It dates from 1931 and has been designed as a so-called Freiluftschule (Open Air School), a German concept where all classrooms have access to the outside via big windows that bring in natural light and windows and doors that can be opened.

The Florapark runs along the whole length of the northern section of the garden village and includes many large open spaces laid to grass to accommodate playing en sports. Although it has been designed to look very natural with a lot of indigenous trees and ornamental trees and shrubs, the whole park is artificial. It was planted on a sludge deposit along the North Holland Canal.

The Duindoornplein (Sea-buckthorn Square) lies at the heart of the northern Latherusbuurt. It is a large garden square that takes inspiration from the classic Unwinesque green. the long row of terraced housing wraps round the central space forming a nice curved continuous facade. The central trees make it impossible to view the whole facade at once, except in winter. The architect of these houses is Karel Greiner (1891-1964).

 

The expressive architecture that defines the corners takes some inspiration from the Amsterdam School. The steep pitched roofs with high end gables are typical of vernacular architecture in Holland. The buildings were meant to serve as corner shops. The long rows of houses have a variable building line with protruding volumes on the corners to create interest in the visual experience. The details are kept simple and utilitarian.

The clusters of 4 doors signify that these were originally so-called over-and-under duplex houses. The facade has been designed to form an interesting composition of windows and doors that are all clustered. Since renovation the two middle doors are defunct as the two apartments have been joined to create larger family houses. These houses (that are somewhat simpler than those around the Duindoornplein are by J.H. Mulder.

Especially on the corners the architecture is more expressive in an effort to create more visual interest, but also emphasise the layout of the streets. Concrete beams are used as embellishment. Some clusters of doors are part of a shallow porch as seen on the right. This is one of the variations consciously introduced by the architect to prevent unappealing uniform streetscapes.

The streets are mostly straight but tend to have a kink at either end thus creating short lines of sight along the streets conform Unwinesque design principles. It also allows for maximising the land for building houses on these tapered plots between streets that run east west.

This former fire station on Berberisstraat (left) was designed in a similar style to the primary school. It sits in between long rows of family houses all designed by J. H. Mulder. On the other side of the street are some distinctly differently designed ensembles of mostly social rented housing designed by different architects for different Housing Associations. The window details in expressive modernism (Amsterdam School) are by Willem Noorlander the architect of 4 blocks around the Andoornstraat (Woundwort Street).

The corners of the long rows of closed blocks are emphasised by higher pyramid roofs. This is done on all sides to create interest and also, as these building were built first in 1921 surrounded by undeveloped raised ground, this better defines this small neighbourhood.

The central Andoornstraat in the Noorlanderbuurt is a long open space that is basically a garden square with a large playground. This green space separates the four closed blocks of row houses around it and serves the same purpose as the courtyard garden in the Viennese super blocks built in the same period.

With simple means Noorlander achieves great effect in his buildings. To create interest in the long facade roof lights and dormers are alternated with raised facades. The clustered doors again indicate that these houses are over-and-under duplexes, with the apartment above being a maisonette as it also included bedrooms in the loft space.

Noorlander designed everything from facade to details. His blocks -that are listed- have been lovingly restored. The original doors with the original colours are still in place. The architect also designed al the details like the window boxes and cornerstones of the dormers. Also note the comb shape of the windowsill.

The block with 69 dwellings and 2 shops designed by A van Wamelen stands next to that of Noorlander. It was built in 1925 around a reservation where later a church was built. The style is reminiscent of Amsterdam School architecture with expressive handling of the volume. The corners are also emphasised, both in roof treatment and in materials used in the facade.

Another example of an expressive corner (left) where the architects uses the stairwell as both a structural and decorative element around which several volumes are arranged thus rounding the corner of the block. Sadly architects nowadays seem to have lost this skill of designing a building around the corner. In contrast Ary van Wamelen has kept the entrances rather subdued (right). a cluster of 4 doors in a porch behind an archway give access to the duplex flats. Again these buildings contain a ground floor flat with a maisonette above.

The C-shaped block has no back or front. The western facade is continuous, but visual interest is created by emphasising the corners and playing with the building line and groups of dormers and roof lights.

The area west of the Kamperfoelieweg (Honeysuckle Road) was developed from 1931 onwards by several housing associations and collectives. The buildings from the 1930 are al recognisable by their red front doors and window frames. The architecture is also more elaborate than the post-WW2 building that all have blue front doors (as seen on the right).

Here a typical streetscape along the Heggenrankweg (Bryony Road) with long rows of terraced housing that follow the gentle curve of the street. The corners are treated more ornamental. Her the typical buildings from the late 1930s originally built by the Socialist Housing Collective for Teachers. These houses are still rented social houses.