Amsterdamsestraatweg Water Tower | |
---|---|
Watertoren Amsterdamsestraatweg | |
General information | |
Status | Redeveloped |
Type | Water tower |
Architectural style | Amsterdam School |
Address | Amsterdamsestraatweg 380 |
Town or city | Utrecht |
Country | Netherlands |
Coordinates | 52°06′11″N5°05′42″E / 52.103°N 5.095°E Coordinates: 52°06′11″N5°05′42″E / 52.103°N 5.095°E |
Completed | 1916 |
Renovated | 1989, 2020 |
Owner | Chris Visscher |
Height | 42 metres |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | W.K. de Wijs |
Designations | Water tower |
Renovating team | |
Architect(s) | Zecc Architecten |
Website | |
watertoren |
The Amsterdamsestraatweg Water Tower is located in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The water tower was built at Amsterdamsestraatweg 380 in 1916, in the style of the Amsterdam School. It became derelict in 1986 and was repeatedly squatted before its redevelopment into apartments began in 2020.
The water tower was built in 1916 at Amsterdamsestraatweg 380 in Utrecht, in the style of the Amsterdam School. The architect was W.K. de Wijs. It was the fourth tower built by Utrechtsche Waterleiding Maatschappij and it stood on what was then the border of Utrecht and Zuilen. [1] The watertower stands 42 metres high and when in use it had a reservoir of 1000m³ of drinking water. [2]
Since 1986 it has been derelict. [3] It was squatted for a time in the 1980s, then it was sold in 1989 and converted into office space. [4] It became a rijksmonument in 2001. [2]
The Dutch squatting ban criminalised the occupation of derelict buildings in the Netherlands on 1 October 2010. In 2013, the water tower was squatted for three months. [4] It was squatted again in 2014 by the same people in protest at it being left derelict. [4] The building was then purchased by Chris Visscher who intended to make a restaurant in the tower and live above it. [5]
The tower was occupied in October 2017, as a protest both against it being left empty and more generally against the criminalisation of squatting, which had occurred seven years earlier. Squatters took possession of the building at 14:00 and the police began to evict at 17:00. [6] Seven people were arrested, six inside the watertower and one outside, for insulting the police. [7] In the eventual court case, the group of six stood trial. One person was sentenced to a prison sentence of 7 days, because he had previously been convicted of the same offence (of squatting). The other five squatters received a fine of 500 euros. [8] The judge did not agree with the defence's argument that people should not be convicted for making a protest, saying "Squatters are free to go to demonstrations and promulgate their ideals, but those ideals do not permit them to indulge in criminal activity." [9]
In 2018, the building was again occupied, precisely eight years after criminalisation. It was evicted one day later and four squatters were arrested. They released a statement which said "In the last eight years, house prices have rocketed and the need for housing has also increased [...] Government and owners are not held responsible and not enough is done with long term empty properties". [10]
Squatters attempted to occupy the building again in August 2019, but were unable to do so. [3]
The owner Chris Visscher had stated in 2014 that the tower would be converted into a restaurant and four flats by mid 2015. He intended to convert the former reservoir into an apartment for himself with 360° views over Utrecht. [11] In February 2020, the work finally began. [12]
The architects, Zecc Architecten, have also redeveloped water towers in Sint Jansklooster (into a look-out tower), Den Bosch (into a restaurant and office), Lutten (into a bed and breakfast) en Soest (into housing). [13]
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De watertoren aan de Amsterdamsestraatweg was de vierde toren die in opdracht van de Utrechtsche Waterleiding-Maatschappij werd gebouwd. Het bouwwerk werd ontworpen door architect W.K. de Wijs in de stijl van de Amsterdamse School en gebouwd door J.C. Rijk. De nieuwbouw vond destijds plaats bij de grens van de gemeente Utrecht met de toenmalige gemeente Zuilen.
Een poging om de watertoren aan de Amsterdamsestraatweg in Utrecht vandaag te kraken is mislukt. De watertoren, een rijksmonument, is sinds 1986 niet meer in gebruik. De politie voorkwam dat de krakers bezit namen van de watertoren.
De toren is in de jaren tachtig enige tijd gekraakt geweest. In 1989 werd de watertoren verkocht en vervolgens ingericht als kantoorruimte.
De watertoren is in 2014 gekocht door Chris Visscher, een ondernemer uit Tiel. Visscher heeft dit jaar een aanvraag omgevingsvergunning ingediend voor de verbouwen van de watertoren naar een horecagelegenheid en vier woningen. De eigenaar gaat zelf wonen in het bovenste deel, het voormalige waterreservoir.
Er heeft zondag een kraakactie plaatsgevonden bij de watertoren op de Amsterdamsestraatweg. Krakers trokken rond 14.00 uur het pand in. De politie startte om 17.00 uur met de ontruiming
De politie heeft zondagmiddag zeven mensen aangehouden nadat de Watertoren aan de Amsterdamsestraatweg in Utrecht was gekraakt. Zes krakers werden aangehouden in de toren, de zevende is buiten de afzetting aangehouden voor belediging.
Zes krakers die vorig jaar oktober de watertoren op de Amsterdamsestraatweg in Utrecht kraakten zijn door de rechtbank veroordeeld. Eén van hen heeft een gevangenisstraf opgelegd gekregen, de overige vijf moeten een boete van 500 euro betalen (...) Omdat één van de krakers eerder veroordeeld is voor kraken krijgt hij een gevangenisstraf van 7 dagen opgelegd.
De rechtbank is het niet eens met de stelling dat het kraken van de watertoren niet moet worden bestraft omdat dit onderdeel zou zijn geweest van een demonstratie. De rechtbank laat weten: "Het staat de krakers vrij om deel te nemen aan demonstraties en op te komen voor hun idealen, maar die idealen vormen geen vrijbrief voor het plegen van strafbare feiten."
Met de actie, die precies 8 jaar na het invoeren van het kraakverbod plaatsvindt, willen de actievoerders een boodschap uitdragen. "In de afgelopen 8 jaar zijn de huurprijzen fors gestegen, en de woningnood neemt toe. […] Overheden en eigenaren worden onvoldoende tot verantwoording geroepen, en er gebeurt te weinig om langdurige leegstaand aan te pakken", aldus de krakers.
Visscher zelf gaat in het bovenste gedeelte van de watertoren wonen, het deel waar het waterreservoir zich bevindt. In dit deel komt een groot raam met uitzicht op het centrum van Utrecht en direct onder het dak komen ramen zodat je een 360 graden uitzicht hebt (...) Visscher hoopt dat de watertoren over zo'n anderhalf jaar kan worden opgeleverd.
Zecc Architecten heeft veel ervaring met herbestemmen van watertorens. Het bureau was onder meer betrokken bij de renovatie van de watertorens in Sint Jansklooster (nu uitkijktoren Natuurmonumenten), Den Bosch (horeca/kantoor), Lutten (Bed & Breakfast) and Soest (wonen).