Michel de Klerk (24 November 1884, Amsterdam – 24 November 1923, Amsterdam) was a Dutch architect. Born to a Jewish family,^[1] he was one of the founding architects of the movement Amsterdam School (Expressionist architecture)

Early in his career he worked for other architects, including Eduard Cuypers. For a while, he also employed the Indonesian-born Liem Bwan Tjie, who would later become his country's pioneering proponent of the Amsterdam School and modern architecture.^[2]

Of his many outstanding designs, very few have actually been built. One of his finest completed buildings is 'Het Schip' (The Ship) in the Amsterdam district of Spaarndammerbuurt.

Amsterdam West[edit]

Eigen Haard (Own Hearth), working-class Socialist housing, consisting of three groups of buildings:

• (1) Spaarndammerplantsoen, North side (1913–1915)
• (2) Spaarndammerplantsoen, South side (1915–1916)
• (3) 'Het Schip', Zaanstraat / Oostzaanstraat / Hembrugstraat (1917–1920)

• 
  Air view, Eigen Haard (left)
• 
  Situation plan: (3) (1) (2)

• 
  (1) Spaarndammer- plantsoen, North side
• 
  Original state, 1915
• 
• 

• 
  (2) Spaarndammer- plantsoen, South side
• 
  Original state, 1916
• 
• 
• 

• 
  (3) 'Het Schip', Zaanstraat
• 
  Zaanstraat
• 
  Oostzaanstraat
• 
  Oostzaanstraat
• 
  Hembrugstraat
• 
• 
  Hembrugstraat
• 
  Zaanstraat

Amsterdam South[edit]

De Dageraad (The Dawn), working-class Socialist housing by Michel de Klerk and Piet Kramer (1920–1923). The architectural contribution by Michel de Klerk is shown in this article. See also Piet Kramer.

• 
  Situation plan
• 
  Thérèse Schwartzeplein (Henriette Ronnerplein)
• 
  Thérèse Schwartzeplein
• 
  Burg. Tellegenstraat, de Klerk (r), Kramer (m)
• 
  Facades with sloping lines by de Klerk
• 
  Entrance

• 
  Vrijheidslaan, middle-class housing (1921–1923)

Wendingen[edit]

Buildings, projects and drawings by Michel de Klerk are published in the architecture and art magazine Wendingen (1918–1932). Three covers of this magazine are designed by de Klerk.

• 
  1918-2, cover
• 
  1920-3/4, cover
• 
  1921-3, cover (back)
• 
  1924-9/10, buildings
• 
  1924-4/5, projects
• 
  1924-2, drawings

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Suzanne S. Frank, Michel de Klerk 1884-1923 - An Architect of the Amsterdam School, UMI Research Press, Ann Arbor Mich. 1984
• Manfred Bock, Sigrid Johanisse & Vladimir Stissi, Michel de Klerk 1884-1923 - Architect and Artist of the Amsterdam School, NAI Publishers, Rotterdam 1997
• Wim de Wit, The Amsterdam School - Dutch Expressionist Architecture 1915-1930, Rotterdam 1983
• Maristella Casciato, The Amsterdam School, Rotterdam 1996
• Joseph Buch, A Century of Architecture in The Netherlands, NAI Publishers, Rotterdam 1995