Pieter de Keyser - Netherlands


The two free-standing, tower-like office buildings are among the best-known designs of the Dutch architect Frans van Gool and are located in the immediate vicinity of the Rijksmuseum. In their size, volumetry and contour, the buildings refer to the villas that had previously been on the site. The two buildings are located on the border between the canal zone and the 19th century districts. The two elegant office buildings with up to seven storeys have exposed brick facades. The façades are punctuated by a regular pattern of square windows without subdivision. The total of 312 windows with tinted panes are installed flush with the façade. In this way, the physical appearance of the buildings is emphasised. The controversial buildings became known in 1980 during the debate on the aesthetics of functionalist architecture. Local columnists were very negative about the buildings - only over the years had the criticism gradually subsided.
The Dutch master builder and sculptor Pieter de Keyser (ca. 1595 - 1676), son of Hendrick de Keyser, continued his father's business after his death. He completed some of the buildings begun by his father during his lifetime. Even before his father's death, Pieter de Keyser had taken over the construction of Huis Bartoletti on the Herengracht in Amsterdam in 1617. After his father died in 1621, Pieter Keyser became his successor as city sculptor. In this capacity he completed the Westerker, the Noorderkerk and the Huis met de hoofden on the Keizersgracht. He also completed the work on the mausoleum for William of Orange in the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft. His father had begun work on this mausoleum in 1614 and it was completed in 1622. Pieter de Keyser's works also include the monument to Erasmus of Rotterdam on the market square in Delft, the Saaihal in the Staalstraat in Amsterdam (1641) and the present Historical Museum of Amsterdam in the Kalverstraat.

Der niederländische Baumeister und Bildhauer Pieter de Keyser (ca. 1595 - 1676) führte als Sohn von Hendrick de Keyser den väterlichen Betrieb nach dessen Tod weiter. Er vollendete einige der vom Vater zu Lebzeiten begonnene Bauwerke. Noch vor dem Ableben seines Vaters hatte Pieter de Keyser 1617 den Bau von Huis Bartoletti an der Herengracht in Amsterdam übernommen. Nachdem sein Vater 1621 verstorben war, wurde Pieter Keyser sein Nachfolger als Stadtbildhauer. In dieser Funktion vollendete er die Westerker, die Noorderkerk und das Huis met de hoofden an der Keizersgracht. Zudem führte er auch die Arbeiten am Mausoleum für Wilhelm von Oranien in der Delfter Nieuwe Kerk zu Ende. Die Arbeiten an diesem Mausoleum hatte sein Vater 1614 begonnen und konnten 1622 abgeschlossen werden. Zu den Werken von Pieter de Keyser gehört zudem das Denkmal des Erasmus von Rotterdam auf dem Marktplatz von Delft, die Saaihal an der Staalstraat in Amsterdam (1641) und dasheutige Historische Museum von Amsterdam in der Kalverstraat.


1622  Huis met de Hoofden, Amsterdam
1923  Noorderkerk, Amsterdam