Hendrik Petrus Berlage

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Hendrik Petrus Berlage

Hendrik Petrus Berlage (often also HP Berlage, born February 21, 1856 in Amsterdam , † August 12, 1934 in The Hague ) was a Dutch architect on the threshold from historicism to modernism .

Father of modern architecture in the Netherlands

Berlage is widely seen as the father of modern architecture in the Netherlands, although most of his works are not mentioned in the modern currents. He was very influential, but he hadn't quite made the full step into modernity. Today, many of his buildings and especially his admired urban planning are assigned to traditionalism . When it came to town planning, he had a traditionalist attitude that was closer to Camillo Sitte than to CIAM . The development from historicism to modernism took place in the Netherlands according to the following steps:

In the case of new building , the following trends are distinguished in the Netherlands:

Career and architecture

Amsterdam Stock Exchange (1896–1903)
Gemeentemuseum The Hague (1928–1935)

Berlage first took up studies at the Reich Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam to become a painter, but broke off after a year and began studying architecture under Gottfried Semper and Eugène Viollet-le-Duc at the Zurich Polytechnic , which he completed in 1878. He then went on a three-year journey, mainly through Italy and Germany. In 1881 he returned to his homeland and joined the Amsterdam office of the engineer Theodore Sanders, whose partner he was from 1884 to 1889, before setting up his own architectural office.

Although he himself was trained in the sense of historicism , Berlage soon criticized this style, which he found dishonest and no longer up-to-date. In his text "Architecture and Impressionism" from 1893, Berlage sketched a picture of architecture in a (hoped for) democratic society. The new form of society should be reflected in an affordable, simple and thus generally understandable architecture. In order to be able to assert themselves alongside the pure engineers in view of the need to save money, the architects would have to practice simplicity, according to Berlage, and offer artistic quality without additional costs.

As a result, historical forms (especially the Renaissance) faded into the background in Berlage's buildings. The works of the following years - such as the buildings for “De Nederlanden…” and the Amsterdam Stock Exchange - are characterized by increasing flatness and blockiness. The unplastered brick masonry is characteristic (often also for the interior), decorative shapes are largely integrated into the wall surface. The often monumental effect of the buildings is based primarily on a characteristic silhouette and the harmonious distribution of the masses. In the design, Berlage is based on the space requirement that is satisfied as functionally as possible. The rational internal distribution of space is not hidden behind a uniform, symmetrical facade, but is often clearly visible on the outside.

The only construction carried out by Berlage in Germany was the Dutch House in Leipzig . The German branch of Algemeene Maatschappij van Levensverzekering en Lijfrente , which was built between 1901 and 1903, was destroyed in the Second World War. In 1914 he participated together with HA von Anrooy as a Dutch Werkbund member in the Cologne Werkbund exhibition

In the following decades of his long career, Berlage remained true to its basic principles. The traditional brick was partially replaced by modern building materials. For example, at the Christian Science Church in The Hague or the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague , Berlage achieved a thoroughly modern design language.

Works (selection)

  • Volkshaus, Lochem (1891/1892)
  • Villa Heymans, Groningen (1893–1895)
  • Building for "De Nederlanden van 1845", Amsterdam (1894–1896 and 1910/1911)
  • Building for "De Nederlanden ...", The Hague (1895/1896 and 1908/1909)
  • Amsterdam Stock Exchange (1896–1903)
  • Main building for "Algemeene Nederlandsche Diamantbewerkersbond", Amsterdam (1897–1900)
  • Villa Henny, The Hague (1898)
  • Nieuwe Amstelbrug , Amsterdam (1899–1903)
  • Dutch House, Leipzig (1901–1903)
  • Agricultural complex "De Schipborg" (1914)
  • Holland House, London (1914-1916)
  • St. Hubertus Hunting Lodge , Hoenderloo (1914–1920)
  • Municipal Museum, The Hague (1919/1920 and 1928–1935)
  • Building for "De Nederlanden ...", The Hague (1920–1927)
  • Christian Science Church, The Hague (1925/1926)
  • Town hall, Usquert (1928–1930)

In addition to the well-known buildings, Berlage dealt intensively with questions of social housing and urban planning (plans for Amsterdam-South 1900–1905 and 1914–1917; expansion plan for The Hague 1907–1911). He also provided some of the interior fittings for his buildings and worked closely with sculptors and other artists. The iron pylons for Amsterdam's electric tram were also designed by the architect at the beginning of the 20th century. He gave numerous lectures in the Netherlands and abroad, published articles and books.

Urban expansion of The Hague - structure plan 1908

  • The Hague , structure plan 1908 (partially executed), top right

  • Section "World Peace Center" (not executed)

City expansion Amsterdam-Zuid - structure plan 1915

The Amsterdam-Zuid (South) district has become known from an architectural point of view for two reasons: on the one hand, through the professionally prepared urban development plan by Berlage and, on the other hand, through the architecture of the expressionist Amsterdam School ( Michel de Klerk , Piet Kramer and others). There were good contacts between the Amsterdam architects and the German avant-garde in Berlin. In the 1920s, experts referred to Amsterdam as the “Mecca” of modern urban planning. The fact that Berlage was invited to the first CIAM congress in 1928 was a recognition of his urban planning work.

  • Amsterdam- Zuid (South), preliminary urban development project in 1904

  • Structure plan 1915, status of the architectural infills 1922

  • Structure plan 1915, officially approved in 1917, with fictitious arch. Fillings

  • Bird's eye view, between the Y-shaped road and the Amstel River

  • Aerial photo of the Y-shaped street, Amsterdam School architecture

  • Amsterdam and Amsterdam-Zuid (below) in 2011

Historical classification of Berlage

Berlage's ideas and works are not isolated phenomena, but must be viewed in the context of contemporary international developments.

The main Dutch architect during Berlage's early days was PJH Cuypers . There was mutual respect between him, a representative of an already rationally shaped historicism, and his younger colleague, and Cuyper's students KPC de Bazel and Lauweriks dealt at times with questions similar to those of Berlage. In the European context, reference should be made to the Austrians Adolf Loos and Josef Hoffmann , the British Charles Voysey and Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Stockholm City Hall by Ragnar Østberg .

Berlage saw the USA as the most progressive society of its time and thus also as a pioneer in artistic terms. His buildings were already associated with those of the American Henry Hobson Richardson during his lifetime , although Berlage himself criticized adherence to historical models (in this case the Romanesque). Louis Sullivan was born shortly before, Frank Lloyd Wright only thirteen years after Berlage.

This has reached the next generation of architects after Berlage, with whom he shares an ambivalent relationship. In the 1920s, Berlage was widely recognized. Architects of the time like JJP Oud praised his achievements, but he could no longer identify with the modern forms of expression ( De Stijl , Neues Bauen ...) and found them to be too revolutionary and cerebral. On the other hand, he felt drawn to the massive brick buildings of the Amsterdam School , which was inspired by his works , even though he had to criticize their lack of rationalism.

The Berlage Institute in Rotterdam , founded in 1990, is named after him.

literature

  • Hendrik P. Berlage: About architecture and style. Articles and lectures 1894–1928. Birch houses; Basel, Berlin, Boston 1991, ISBN 3-7643-2587-9 .
  • Bock, Manfred: Beginnings of a new architecture. Berlage's contribution to the architectural culture of the Netherlands at the end of the 19th century. S'-Gravenhage, Wiesbaden 1983.
  • Polano, Sergio (Ed.): Hendrik Petrus Berlage. Milan 2002.
  • Vincent van Rossem, Giovanni Fanelli, Sergio Polano: Hendrik Petrus Berlage. Complete Works. Phaidon Press, London 2002, ISBN 1-904313-11-6 .
  • Singelenberg, Pieter: HP Berlage. Idea and style. The Quest for Modern Architecture. Utrecht 1972.
  • Singelenberg, Pieter: HP Berlage. [Fine arts and architecture in the Nierdelanden] . Amsterdam 1969.
  • Looking for the valid form. For the 150th birthday of the architect Hendrik Petrus Berlage. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , February 20, 2006. NZZ Online , accessed on January 23, 2011.

Web links

Commons : Hendrik Petrus Berlage  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Berlage, Hendrik Petrus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Berlage, HP (artist name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Dutch architect
DATE OF BIRTH February 21, 1856
PLACE OF BIRTH Amsterdam
DATE OF DEATH August 12, 1934
Place of death The hague
  1. ↑ Peter Jessen: German Form in the War Year, The Exhibition Cologne 1914 . In: Deutscher Werkbund (Hrsg.): Yearbook of the German Werkbund . tape 1915 . F.Bruckmann A.-G., Munich 1915, p. 21 .