Photo: Dudok Architectuur Centrum
Dienstbodenhuis De Koepel
1931 / J. Duiker
Loosdrechtse Bos, Hilversum
The Dienstbodenhuis De Koepel of the Zonnestraal sanatorium was built in 1931 to a design by J. Duiker. The chairman of the daily board of Zonnestraal Ome (uncle) Jan van Zutphen suggested in 1930 to build a shelter for the servants of the sanatorium. The building had to be not only simple and practical, but also cosy. The two-storey twelve-sided servant’s house accommodated eighteen servants’ rooms, a tea kitchen, a bathroom and a common room.
The common area is centrally located on the ground floor with a circular gallery on the first floor. The load-bearing elements of De Koepel also have a space-separating function. The facade has been kept as slightly open as possible and stretches like a skin around the construction. In the communal area, daylight shines through the glass lantern on the roof.
In 1995 the servants’ house was restored by a group of students from the Stylos student association of the Faculty of Architecture at Delft University of Technology. They were supervised by a special restoration committee headed by Professor J. van Stigt. Much of the work was carried out by more than 25 engineering students. They are jointly responsible for the design of the restoration of the building, finding a suitable destination, the restoration work and collecting financial resources. The restoration focused on reusing the original materials and preserving and restoring the original image. The structural condition of De Koepel was better than that of the main building and the pavilions of the sanatorium complex. The damage was minor because it was not exposed to the outside air. The steel fronts were replaced after repair and treatment. Only ten meters of steel profile had to be replaced.
Source: Annette Koenders, Hilversum. Architectuur en Stedenbouw 1850-1940, Zwolle (2001).
Architect
Period
Location
Loosdrechtse Bos, Hilversum