Piet Kramer

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Piet Kramer
De Bijenkorf department store , 1926

Pieter Lodewijk (Piet) Kramer (born July 1, 1881 in Amsterdam , † February 4, 1961 in Santpoort ) was a Dutch architect and designer . He is considered a main representative of the Amsterdam expressionist school .

life and work

Kramer was a self-taught architect . He received his first training at the Amsterdam Industrial School as a draftsman and then worked as a ship carpenter in a boatyard. In 1902 he got a job in the architecture office of Eduard Cuypers , where he worked until 1911. Cuypers' office is considered to be the nucleus of the Amsterdam School. In addition to Kramer, Michel de Klerk and Johan van der Mey also work there.

From 1917 to 1952 he worked as an architect in the public building administration. In 1923 he took over the office of aesthetic advisor , which was created in 1905 under the building regulations issued by the city of Amsterdam and which was first led by Johan van der Mey. He was there u. a. responsible for building bridges in the city. He held the office until the end of his professional life in 1952.

Bridge 41 over the Keizersgracht ; Architect Piet Kramer, sculptor Hildo Krop

During this time, in addition to residential and department stores, many bridges were built over the canals and canals of Amsterdam, which still shape the image of the city today. His use of natural stone, bricks and wrought iron as building materials in bridge construction influenced the bridge construction of his time. Many of his bridges were opulently decorated with ornaments, ornate railings, reliefs and sculptures and equipped with bridge houses. Much sculptural work on the bridges was done by Hildo Krop (1884–1970). With the economic crisis of the 1930s, such lavishly decorated bridges became too expensive for the city council, and Kramer was forced to use frugality and simplicity in the new designs. Kramer designed over 500 drawings for the bridge construction, around 200 were executed.

In addition to his construction activity, he designed furniture, interior furnishings and everyday objects.

Buildings (selection)

The Kramerbrug (bridge 400) in Amsterdam
  • 1911 Building for the naval personnel in Den Helder (demolished)
  • 1913/28 Scheepvaarthuis ", with M. de Klerk and JM van der Mey.
  • around 1920 social housing in the south of Amsterdam
  • 1920–22 residential complex "De Dageraad" by Kramer and de Klerk,
  • 1924–26 "De Bijkenkorf", department store in The Hague, 1924–26
  • Kramerbrug, Amsterdam
  • Lyceumbrug, Amsterdam

literature

  • G. Fanelli: Moderne archtektuur in Nederland 1900-1940. The Hague 1978.
  • Entry in: Pevsner, Honor, Fleming: Lexicon of World Architecture. 3rd ext. 1992 ed. Pp. 753-54.

Individual evidence

  1. Short biography Nederlands Archtektuur Institute ; Amsterdam School on architekt.de

Web links

Commons : Piet Kramer  - Collection of images, videos and audio files