Architect Frans Lourijsen – the great unknown
author Peter van Dam
hard cover, 144 pages, 184 illustrations
publisher de onderste steen, Nijmegen
ISBN: 978-90-822156-7-0
On May 8, 2025, author, historian Peter van Dam presented his recently published and extraordinarily fascinating book “architect Frans Lourijsen – the great unknown” in the Albert Vogel Hall.
“A great talent and diligent worker with grand plans” (Peter van Dam)
Many architects left their mark on the appearance of The Hague in the last century. Frans Lourijsen (1889-1934) remained a great unknown, but is now being honored with a book by historian Peter van Dam.
(Algemeen Dagblad, May 27, 2025)
From the introduction (excerpt):
History shows that the life and work of Franciscus (Frans) Lodewijk Johannes Lourijsen have also remained seriously underexposed in relation to the New Hague School until now. Frans Lourijsen’s professional existence appears to have been largely connected to the real estate company Nationaal Grondbezit and architect Jan Wils, with whom he erected several buildings. As a social and artistic meeting place, the Haagse Kunstkring occupies a special place. Lourijsen, like Jan Wils, Pieter Hofman and Jan Altorf, is a working member of the Circle’s second section (architecture and arts and crafts). It is a section that organizes a number of important exhibitions. These include themes such as public housing (1919), mural painting (1921) and The Hague in the last 25 years (1923). This last exhibition is intended as a representative overview of The Hague Architecture.
For all art disciplines, the Kring in particular is considered a popular favoring factor in addition to being an influential networking environment and meeting place for the interconnected artists. Well-known members include architects such as Hendrik Petrus Berlage (1856-1934), Jacobus (Co) Johannes Brandes (1884-1955), Hendricus Theodorus Wijdeveld (1885-1987) and Johannes (Jan) Duiker (1890-1935). Although Lourijsen was listed as a society member as early as 1920, he was officially balloted as a working member of the architecture department in October 1931.
Lourijsen may be called representative of the contemporary architectural movement that became known as the New Hague School, an architectural style born of a fusion of works produced by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), combined with Amsterdam School architecture and influenced by Cubism from the Style Group.
The term “New Hague School” originated in response to an architectural exhibition held at Haagse Kunstkring (1920). There the name is first used in a critical review penned by Amsterdam native Cornelis Jouke Blaauw (1885-1947).
Meanwhile, the New Hague School is more popular than ever and is finding solid emulation in current new construction projects.
Lourijsen’s work is mainly found in The Hague, but he was also active in Bergen (NH), Leiden, Utrecht and Wageningen, among other places.
The book discusses his work extensively and in detail. It is richly illustrated with design drawings, floor plans, sculptures, images of apartment buildings, residential hotels, among others.
architectenweb.co.uk
Poster for arts and crafts and architecture exhibition
in the Haagse Kunstkring,
P.A.H. Hofman, 1931
Cover book “architect Frans Lourijsen – the great unknown”