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Berend BoeyingaA Dutch architect, known for his church buildings, a representative of the so-called "Amsterdam School".
Date of Birth: 27.03.1886
Country:  Netherlands |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Influence of the Amsterdam School
- Collaborations and Early Projects
- Housing Projects in Amsterdam-Noord
- Church Designs and the Kloppersingelkerk
- Laboratory Building and Academic Career
- Post-World War II Restoration
- Death and Legacy
Early Life and Education
Berend Tobia Boeyinga was born in Noord-Scharwoude, Netherlands, on March 27, 1886, into a Calvinist pastor's family. He initially worked as a carpenter before pursuing architecture. From 1909 to 1919, Boeyinga studied architecture in Amsterdam, also working for two years in Eduard Cuypers' architectural firm.
Influence of the Amsterdam School
Despite Cuypers' traditionalist style, his atelier provided a platform for innovative architects, including pioneers of the Amsterdam School: Michel de Klerk, J.M. van der Mey, and P.L. Kramer. Boeyinga actively participated in developing and shaping this new architectural movement.
Collaborations and Early Projects
After leaving Cuypers, Boeyinga worked briefly for Charles Estourgie before joining Michel de Klerk's firm from 1917 to 1921. During this period, he supervised the construction of de Klerk's iconic "Het Schip" complex in Amsterdam.
Housing Projects in Amsterdam-Noord
Completing his education with a substantial government building design in Amsterdam, Boeyinga was invited by the city's housing director, Arie Keppler, to create housing developments in Amsterdam-Noord. These projects, Tuindorp Oostzaan and Tuindorp Nieuwendam, are now considered notable examples of Amsterdam School architecture in a rural setting.
Church Designs and the Kloppersingelkerk
Dissatisfied with the anonymity of municipal architecture, Boeyinga established his own practice in 1926. The same year, he designed his first church, the Kloppersingelkerk in Haarlem. Based on a previous Calvinist church design submitted to a competition in Amsterdam, it incorporated fan-shaped planning with a central pulpit and Amsterdam School-style ornamentation. The controversy surrounding the entrance statues depicting Protestant leaders, including Luther, Calvin, and Kuyper, has since died down. Tragically, the Kloppersingelkerk was destroyed in a fire in 2003, leaving only the statues as a reminder of its unique design.
Laboratory Building and Academic Career
In 1930, Boeyinga designed the laboratory building for the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He also became actively involved in architectural education as a lecturer and later as head of the architecture school in Amsterdam.
Post-World War II Restoration
After World War II, Boeyinga contributed to the restoration of war-damaged buildings, such as the Cuneratoren in Rhenen and the Eusebiuskerk in Arnhem.
Death and Legacy
Berend Tobia Boeyinga passed away in Amsterdam on November 6, 1969. He is remembered as a prominent representative of the Amsterdam School, particularly for his innovative church designs and the influential Tuindorp housing projects.
