Amsterdam School: Behind the brick façade

Amsterdam's own architectural style

From about 1910 through the end of the 1920s, a new architectural style took the city by storm. The Amsterdam School (or Amsterdamse School in Dutch) movement was born in the office of Eduard Cuypers in Amsterdam. Cuypers himself was not the originator of the style, but created a working environment that allowed for creativity and innovation. Three of his employees, Michel de Klerk, Johan van der Mey and Piet Kramer became the leaders of the Amsterdam School movement.

The Amsterdam School got a big push forward when van der Mey was appointed the city’s first “aesthetic advisor” in 1911. Shortly after he was commissioned to design the Scheepvaarthuis, a building that would serve as the head offices for the city’s six largest shipping companies. This was a significant project, and van der Mey immediately recruited Michel de Klerk and Piet Kramer to collaborate on the design. The completed Scheepvaarthuis was a marvel to behold, and to this day is considered one of the most stunning examples of Amsterdam School design.

Accessible design

The Amsterdam School style had its roots in Expressionist architecture, and also borrowed elements from the Jugendstil and Art Deco design aesthetic. The building material of choice was brick, which was used as both a decorative and sculptural element. Amsterdam School structures are characterized by their rounded appearance and decorative masonry, stained glass, wrought iron accents, spires and "ladder" windows. The movement’s aim was to create a total architectural experience, so the designers paid great attention to both the interior and the exterior of each building. Due to the socialist ideals of its founders, the Amsterdam School style was often applied to housing estates for the working class, government institutions and schools.

Museum Het Schip

The Spaarndammerplantsoen in Amsterdam features three monumental housing blocks designed by Michel de Klerk. A wonderful example of the Amsterdam School is de Klerk’s building Het Schip (the ship), that currently houses a museum dedicated to the movement. Designed in 1919, Het Schip consists of 102 flats for working-class families, a small meeting hall and a post office which now houses the museum.

 The museum has a variety of interesting permanent displays about the Amsterdam School movement, including its background and sociological contributions to the city. You can also see a restored working-class flat and a collection of “street furniture” done in Amsterdam School style, including lamps, benches, trash bins and more.

Amsterdam School tours

Het Schip offers a variety of tours taking visitors past the movement's key buildings. Every Sunday, they offer a special guided tour of the Scheepvaarthuis. If you’d rather stroll through the city on your own and admire the Amsterdam School style, here are a few of the most notable buildings and neighbourhoods:

• Scheepvaarthuis (Grand Hotel Amrâth, Prins Hendrikkade 108)

• Olympic Stadium (Olympisch Stadion 21)

• NH Carlton Hotel (Vijzelstraat 4)

• Museum Het Schip, plus additional apartment buildings on the Spaarndammerplantsoen

• Hoofdkantoor Gemeentetram (head office city trams, Stadhouderskade 1)

• Jeruzalemkerk (church, Jan Maijenstraat 14)

• Het Sieraad (Postjesweg 1)

• Amsterdam West: A variety of apartment buildings, especially near the Mercatorplein, Jan Maijenstraat, Vespuccistraat and Hoofdweg

• Amsterdam Zuid: a variety of apartment buildings, especially near the Vrijheidslaan and De Dageraad housing complex on the P.L.Takstraat

Take some time to discover Amsterdam's unique contribution to architectural design, and you'll see the city in a completely different light!