Cornelis Elffers was born on September 18, 1898 in Rotterdam. His father Gerard Elffers (1868-1941) was an appraiser of houses and had an administration office in Rotterdam. His mother Petronella Smits (1870-1912) was born in Gorinchem. Cornelis Elffers came from a family of 11 children. Several of them became active in the visual arts. Cornelis Elffers' younger brother Dick (1910 - 1990) was very successful as a visual artist. His monumental works can be found in many of the buildings designed by his brother. Dick also worked as an interior design consultant for several museums including the Rijksmuseum. Sister Jo Elffers (1908-1993) worked as an interior designer. (1) In 1924 Cornelis Elffers married Susanna Elizabeth Hartman (1895-1962). They had two children Petronella (1925) and Willem (1928) Elffers. Son Wim worked in his father's office for a while but eventually chose another direction. After the death of his wife, Elffers remarried Lena Cornelia de Heer. Since establishing himself as an independent architect in 1923, Elffers has always worked in Rotterdam. His first office was on the Schieweg in Rotterdam. When he later moved with his family into an old mansion owned by architect Kromhout on Vijverlaan in Rotterdam Kralingen, the office was initially located in this house. Due to lack of space, the office moved fairly quickly to an industrial building on the Oostzeedijk. Since this space was not ideal either, he established the office on the Meent where it would remain until early 1996. In 1959 Elffers and his wife moved into a self-designed house in Capelle aan den IJssel. In 1973, a year after he retired from architecture, he moved to Epe. His second wife liked to live outdoors and they moved into a self-designed house in a villa neighborhood in the woods. After her death he became lonely there and regretted no longer living in Rotterdam where he knew so many people. Cornelis Elffers died at the age of 89 on December 21, 1987 and was buried in the Epe cemetery. (2) Education and apprenticeship After elementary school, Elffers went to the lower technical school (trade school). He did not finish this because he was expelled from school for mischief. He decided to become a carpenter's apprentice. When he was sixteen, in 1914, he went to work while attending a 6-year evening MTS (now HTS) course at the Academy of Visual Arts in Rotterdam. His teachers included ir. M.A.C. Meischke and J.C. Meischke. Ir. B.J. Cramer, with whom Elffers would later collaborate, attended this course simultaneously. During his studies, he worked one year for the Condensed Milk Company on an industrial building on Bruynstraat in Rotterdam as an architectural draftsman and supervisor. Then he was employed for three years by architect Michiel Brinkman, where he collaborated on a housing complex in Spangen, Rotterdam (a work that brought Brinkman international attention), on the extension of a candle factory in Gouda and a residential house on the Kralingse Plaslaan in Rotterdam. He then worked one year under his own name on a residential house on Dorpsweg in Charlois and one year as assistant municipal architect school construction. (3)After completing 22 months of military service, he spent one year on a day course in architectural studies in 1922. (4) Through the enormously varied training and work experiences gained, from technical school to draftsman and supervisor to architect, he mastered various aspects of building by the age of 25. With this solid foundation, he established himself as an independent architect in 1923. Career His first assignment as an independent architect was a factory building for the firm Gebr. Smilde on the Pootstraat in Rotterdam. Furthermore, in the early days he designed mainly country houses to which in 1928, five years after starting his practice, a first article was devoted in Het Bouwbedrijf (5).The first major commission he received in 1927-28 from the Schop's Vleeschwarenfabriek with the construction of a new factory in Rotterdam. In addition to a study of the company, Elffers also immersed himself in the production of sausages on this assignment; he even undertook a study trip to Sweden in order to perfect the job. Through an open competition he won the commission to build a home for elderly seamen (about 200 residents) in Egmond aan Zee (6), where he came into contact with Mr. de Bruyn, advisor to the Nederlandsche Handel Maatschappij and Sikkens' Lakfabrieken. A contact that later led to several contacts. In 1938, through a closed competition, he was commissioned to build the Sikkens' Lakfabrieken in Sassenheim (7). For this commission, too, Elffers studied the production process in detail. The paint storage tower he designed even improved the process of mixing paint considerably; this aspect was therefore decisive in winning the competition. In the 1948 Architectural Review in an article on recent architecture in Holland, Elffers and his Sikkens' Paint Factories were mentioned along with Brinkman and Van de Broek, Van Tijen and Maaskant, J. P. Staal, W. M. Dudok, J. P. Oud and J. P. Kloos, among others. During the war years, Elffers worked with architect A. A. van Nieuwenhuyzen (of the architectural firm van Nieuwenhuyzen, van der Heyden and Moerman) on the Nationale Levensverzekeringbank (8), the Nederlandse Handelmaatschappij (9) and Emporium (10), all in Rotterdam. These assignments were initially awarded to van Nieuwenhuysen but because the latter was very busy, he engaged Elffers for these jobs. In the end, these buildings were almost entirely due to Elffers. During and after the war, Elffers was also very closely involved in the reconstruction of Rotterdam. He served on the architectural committee and designed many buildings, both temporary and permanent. (See chapter "Elffers' role in the reconstruction of Rotterdam"). During the same period, Elffers took care of the young P. van der Kraan, who had suddenly been given responsibility for his late father's office. Elffers continued to handle ongoing commissions, such as the church building for the Free Evangelical Church in Rotterdam. Meanwhile, P. van der Kraan continued his studies at T.U. Delft while working at Elffers' office. (From 1960 he was a collaborating architect.) (11) After the war, Elffers completed an enormous variety of large and small commissions, including a whole series of schools (one of his favorite commissions), churches, factories, office buildings, country houses as well as interiors for stores and restaurants. The enormous variety is striking. All these projects he always followed from beginning to end, although he was assisted by his agency, he still had everything under his own control. He was engaged in his profession day and night with undiminished enthusiasm and dedication. When Elffers occasionally collaborated with fellow architects, natural authority and enthusiasm usually resulted in Elffers completing the assignment largely on his own. After working with Van Nieuwenhuysen, he also collaborated with Kho Liang Ie on a remodeling of Sikkens' Paint Factories (12) (Kho Liang Ie was a relation of Sikkens') and with Ir. A van der Heijden on the Nederlandse Economische Hogeschool (13). This building was the crowning glory of Elffers' work. He would therefore work on it for more than ten years. Naturally, a whole series of trainees also passed through the office, including W. van der Sluys, Ir. van Zetten, Ir. E. van der Ree and H. Campman.On September 1, 1962, a partnership was established under the name Architectenbureau Elffers, Hoogeveen and Van der Kraan. Ir. Hoogeveen had been a collaborating architect at the firm since 1952. Elffers was now 64 and realized that he could not work forever. When Elffers finally retired from architecture in 1972, it became B.V. Elffers Partners. He remained associated with the firm as consulting architect and carried out two more assignments himself: a country house for himself in Epe in 1973 and later another country house for friends, also in Epe. Building styles and approach At the beginning of his career, Elffers worked mainly in the prevailing trend of Art Deco and the style of the Amsterdam School. Clear examples are the 1926 country house in Overschie (14) and the 1928 office building for the Royal Lloyds in The Hague (15). However, he evolved fairly quickly to a somewhat more sober, functional design in which concrete played an increasingly important role. This was initially reflected in the designs of industrial buildings such as the Sikkens' paint factory in Sassenheim from 1938. (16) The Second World War, as with many other architects, caused a definitive turnaround in his oeuvre. During the German occupation there was a building ban, which caused a four-year mandatory break for architects. Some projects such as the National Life Insurance Bank (17) and the Nederlandse Handelmaatschappij (18) in Rotterdam, which he had already been commissioned to build at the beginning of the war, were still built in brick and still had a clear interwar character. Apart from these two projects, after the war Elffers resolutely opted for a strict functional style, with a mostly visible concrete skeleton in which sophisticated proportions and straight surfaces played the leading role. The austerity of the facades, was continued in the rational, practical floor plans. The interior was always the starting point in Elffers' architecture; he paid a great deal of attention to the furnishings. Consequently, an interior designer worked at the firm for a long time. The use of color and its psychological influence on the occupants was one of Elffers' hobbyhorses. Colors were selected very carefully, often in daring combinations. He did not hesitate to have an entire room painted over if the color turned out differently than he had intended. The linoleum factory in Krommenie sometimes produced colored rolls especially for Elffers when he could not find the right color in the standard collection. In the fabric factory, too, he personally went to see the proofs produced to his design. Elffers was always in total charge of the work. Although he was assisted by his associates, he was still in ultimate charge during all phases of a construction work. As a result of his varied training, he was therefore in control of all aspects of the trade. He often appeared on the construction site where he amazed craftsmen with his knowledge, after all, Elffers himself had once started at trade school. (19) Various artists provided decoration in many of his austere buildings. Among others, his brother Dick Elffers regularly made his artistic contribution, as did Hans Petri, Nel Klaassen, Hank Hans and others. Elffers always immersed himself very much in his commissions; he regularly went on study trips or immersed himself in the library in subjects concerning his commissions. When he designed a factory, he always knew everything about the production process and the company, much to the surprise of his client. On large assignments, Elffers withdrew for one or two weeks with the program at friends in Putten or at Hotel Karelshaven in Delden. He then returned with a fairly accurate sketch design that was then worked out by the draftsmen at the office. Membership in associations In addition to his practice, Elffers was active in various professional organizations and architectural associations. At an early age (in 1929) he was already secretary of the association Bouwkunst en Vriendschap; an association that combined the useful with the pleasant by organizing lectures, competitions, art reviews and excursions. Members were kept informed of all new developments. Elffers regularly served on the jury for competitions organized by this association. He was also very active in the Union of Dutch Architects. From 1939 to 1951 (except during the war) he was secretary of the Circle Board of the BNA in Rotterdam, and from 1952 to the end of 1954 he was district commissioner (main board member). Among other things, he was a member of the Disputes Committee and the Social Care Board, he served on the Advisory Board on the selection of an architect and on the committees for the new BNA building from 1953 to 1964. He was also an examiner for the architectural superintendent training program. Since 1945, he was a member of the Architectural Committee in Rotterdam, which was established to advise the General Authorized Officer for Reconstruction. The General Authorized Representative for Reconstruction placed responsibility for the architectural aspects of the reconstruction with the head of the Rotterdam City Plan Office (ASRO), Ir. W. G. Witteveen. In addition, the General Authorized Officer was advised by De Architectencommissie, which was chaired by W. H. de Monchy and included Messrs. B. van Bilderbeek, Ir. H. J. Brosse, C. Elffers and Ir. E. J. de Maar. Elffers has also been secretary of the Foundation to Support the Protestant Spiritual Care in the Armed Forces for many years; he has also carried out several commissions for this association, including the chapel on the Beukbergen estate. (20) From 1946 to 1970 he was a member of the society Architectura et Amicitia. In 1960 Cornelis Elffers was awarded the knighthood Ridder in de orde van Oranje Nassau (Knight of the Order of Orange Nassau) for his entire oeuvre and his contribution to the reconstruction of Rotterdam. His former teacher J. C. Meischke, Ir. B. J. K. Cramer and H. A. Maaskant, were honored with this distinction at the same time as Elffers. (21) Participation in competitions, travel Like so many, Elffers also submitted a design for a competition for Amsterdam's city hall, in which, incidentally, he failed to win a prize. Through closed competitions, he successively won the commission for a home for elderly sailors, the Prince Hendrik Foundation (about 200 residents) in Egmond aan Zee in 1935 and in 1937 for the construction of the Sikkens' Paint Factory in Sassenheim. The study trips Elffers undertook were usually in preparation for a commission. For example, he went to Scandinavia, Italy and Switzerland. The role of Cornelis E1ffers in the reconstruction of Rotterdam Very soon after Rotterdam recovered from the initial shock of the devastating disaster on May 14, 1940, work began on clearing the rubble and bringing down the ruins. Elffers was very closely involved in the reconstruction from the beginning. The sight of this dead city with its once familiar streets, which suddenly could hardly be called streets because all that was recognizable had disappeared, gave him the strength and energy to get to work, to work on a new Rotterdam. After all, there was an urgent need for housing, stores and workspace. Elffers, together with B. van Bilderbeek, Ir. H. J. Brusse, and Ir. E. J. de Maar under the chairmanship of W. H. de Monchy, sat on the Architectural Committee that advised the General Authorized Representative on the architectural aspects of reconstruction. Thus, the part of the city to be rebuilt was divided into 13 districts, each with its own supervisor who had to promote aesthetic design within his district. J. J. P. Oud became supervisor of Coolsingel, the hub of the new city plan. A grid was laid over the pattern of the city districts, dividing the city into five categories with different architectural quality requirements. The architect lists were also divided into five quality categories. Those classified in the lowest category were allowed to design only for the districts with the lowest quality requirements. The highest class designers included : Elffers, Granpré Molière, Kraayvanger, Oud, Van Ravensteyn, Van der Steur, Verhagen and De Vries. In principle, the client could disregard these rules of the Architectural Committee. The submitted design, assessed by the supervisor and adjusted if necessary, was in all cases the final deciding factor. (23) Before the final reconstruction plans were on the table, there was of course the immediate need for (temporary) shelter. To this end, the Municipal Technical Department had emergency housing and stores built at various locations throughout the city. The 223 emergency stores were all designed by Elffers for the Centraal-Bureau der Rotterdamsche Architecten. Of the type A stores, with an area of 25 m2, lRO were built, mainly on the sidewalks of Coolsingel, Calandplein, Westplein, Goudschesingel, VoorschoterIaan, Vlietlaan, Jericholaan, Lusthofstraat and Libellenplein. The type B stores, with an area of 50 m2, are mainly located along Stationssingel and Statenweg. The six cafes, each with an area of 75m2, of type C are located along Goudschesingel. The largest café, of 100 m2, stands on Statenweg at the conclusion of a block of B stores. The anticipated lifespan of these temporary shelters was approximately six years, which had consequences in terms of construction and choice of materials, among other things. A reinforced concrete base and ditto parapet were chosen for the foundation. The half-tile exterior walls were constructed of brick from demolition with a cladding of yellow-gray Waal brick in block bond. The interior walls were also of chipped stone. The joists, floors and roofs, as well as the frames, windows and doors, were of wood. A sheet of wood fiber and mortar mortar was placed on the boarding before the roofing was applied, due to fire safety reasons. Due to the shortage of glass, the storefronts were divided into 90x90 cm panes. The stores, with their straight, functional walls under a slightly sloping pent roof, offered a very simple appearance, but were still decorated despite their temporary nature. At the head of each series of stores was a mural or group of statues by Han Richters and Van Benschoten, among others. (24) Description of some objects from the oeuvre 'Insulinde', office building for the Royal Rotterdam Lloyds in The Hague The Insulinde office building on Korte Vijverberg in The Hague was one of the first important commissions for Elffers, who at the time had been established as an independent architect for five years. He secured the commission through his oldest brother Jan Hubertus, who at the time was working at the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd in The Hague. It was quite an honor for a young architect to be allowed to build at this both historically and strategically important location at the Binnenhof. Elffers succeeded, I believe, in subtly integrating the building into its classical surroundings without denying it a contemporary character. The entire building exudes a typical Art Deco atmosphere. The interior conforms to these stylistic characteristics even more than the exterior, because here Elffers did not have to take into account the delicate surroundings. The stately façade constructed of Havana-colored brick, is placed on a pedestal of Beuga granite. The base includes the basement. The three-story façade plane is evenly divided by large, rectangular windows that give the building the same stately, classical appearance as the surrounding buildings. Below the cornice, along the entire length of the building, the small windows are separated by sculptures in construction earthwork. They depict exotic figures in Art Deco style from the countries Lloyds visits. On the canopy above the deep portal, is a sculpture of sandstone symbolizing "the call of the East," created by H. A. van den Eynde. Above the portal extends a long narrow stained-glass window, which provides light to the stairwell, and extends to the cornice. The window is surrounded by a brick frame that extends at the level of the cornice into an octagonal turret, projecting two meters above the eaves. Inside, all rooms have natural light, thanks in part to the light court. Elffers meticulously detailed the semi-public spaces on the ground floor. The floor and paneling are done in beige marble and travertine. Above the paneling are masonry columns between the counters; above them is a circular glass wall of etched stained glass, with sculpted sea nymphs and seahorses in building earthwork at the corners. In one wall of the hall is a mosaic by Anton Molkenboer. (25) Groen van Prinsterer Lyceum in Vlaardingen The Groen van Prinsterer Lyceum in the Babberspolder in Vlaardingen is the third in a long line of schools that Elffers realized. Building schools was, as the following quote shows, one of his favorite tasks: "I cannot consider building for young people as one of the easiest tasks that are put before the architect. Anyone who still remembers the classrooms in which he himself tried to acquire knowledge, sees it as a fine task to design and realize a plan for a building in which not only proper education is given and which has the right equipment, but which is also characterized by an atmosphere of joy, an atmosphere in which the personality can develop harmoniously and which makes school time a pleasure for the pupils. A second challenge with these assignments was the very low construction budget within which all this had to be realized. Initially, Elffers, together with his former fellow student ir. B. J. K. Cramer, of the firm Kruisheer and Cramer (in the 1980s Elffers Partners merged with the firm of the same Mr. Cramer, namely Kruisheer and Cramer under the name Kruisheer Elffers), had been awarded the commission to build the Lyceum. However, Cramer soon had to withdraw due to health reasons. The building location was determined in consultation with ir. W. van Tijen, the designer of the Babberspolder expansion plan. (26) As with many large commissions, he also withdrew to friends in Putten for the design of this school. He returned with an accurate sketch design that was then worked out in the drawing room. The floor plan of this school is very logical and legible. Four different functions are housed in four wings. The classrooms and the main entrance are in the main wing. Transverse to this, next to the main entrance, is the boardroom wing. At the rear is another transverse wing containing the practice rooms. The gymnasium connects to this and then again lies parallel to the main wing. Like most of his buildings, this school is constructed of a reinforced concrete skeleton. Elffers always pays a lot of attention to the use of color in his interiors, so also in the Groen van Prinsterer Lyceum. Different colors were used in groups, the theory and practice rooms, the corridors and halls, the gymnasiums and the cafeteria were given colors that by their nature are meant to stimulate concentration or activity. Because the furniture of the existing school needed to be replaced, the new furniture forms a whole with the building. Two works of art by sculptor Hank Hans also contribute to a more personal character. In the hall of the school hang the heads of some classical and more modern scholars, such as Plato, Sophocles, Homer, Christiaan Huygens and Groen van Prinsterer, which she modeled. In the façade of the front wing, on the street side, there is a relief entitled, "The Sower, though he goes weeping, sows, but he returns rejoicing, bearing his sheaves."(26) Lock Elffers' oeuvre did not cause any major shifts in Dutch architecture, he was not a trendsetter, but his balanced developed style is a very beautiful, clear reflection of half a century of architecture. He incorporated the prevailing zeitgeist in a personal way in very decent, solid buildings. His clients were always very satisfied, which often brought him new commissions; he even became personal friends with some of them. Elffers believed that the architect is the servant of his client; but not his servant. Text: Sandra Eelen notes: 1) National Compass 16 2) Correspondence of Sandra Eelen with the children of C. Ellfers, Nel and Wim Elffers. 3) An article in the Nieuwe Haagsche Courant claims that Elffers would have worked as a municipal architect in Loosduinen. However, there is no mention of him in the Loosduinen municipal archives. 4) Archive of the Kruisheer Elffers office in Rotterdam. 5) The Construction Company 6) Bouwkundig Weekblad 1937, 421-428 7) Bouwkundig Weekblad 1940, 105-109 8) Rotterdam Bouwt 1949/50, 7/8, 7-10 9) Rotterdam Bouwt 1950/51, 67, 13-15 10) Construction 11) Interview by Sandra Eelen with Ir. P. van der Kraan (former employee of C. Elffers) on November 26, 1995 12) Bouwkundig Weekblad 1954, 313-317 13) TABK 14) The Construction Company 15) Bouwkundig Weekblad 1933, 196-198 16) Bouwkundig Weekblad 1940, 105-109 17) Rotterdam Bouwt 1949/50,7/8, 7-10 18) Rotterdam Bouwt 1950/51, 67, 13-15 19) Interview by Sandra Eelen with Mr. Crielaard (former employee of E1ffers, currently working at Kruisheer Elffers in Rotterdam. 20) Bouwkundig Weekblad 1955, 274 21) Bouwkundig Weekblad 1960, 231 23) The 8 and Opbouw 24) Bouwkundig Weekblad 1940, 386-387 25) Bouwkundig Weekblad 1933, 196-198 26) Construction Weekly 1957,475-479 Literature Anonymous, 'Landhuisje aan de Rotterdamse Rijweg te Overschie', Het Bouwbedrijf, 5 (1928) 24 p471 Anonymous, 'Building "Insulinde" at The Hague, architect Comelis Elffers B.N.A.', Bouwkundig Weekblad, 54 (1933) 24 p.196-198 Anonymous, 'Description of the new home for indigent old sailors of the Prince Hendrik Foundation at Egmond aan Zee, Cornelis Elffers', Bouwkundig Weekblad, 58 (1937) 45 p.421-428 Anonymous, 'Arrangement of the architectural part of the reconstruction of Rotterdam within the destroyed districts', The 8 and Opbouw, 13 (1942) 4 p.54-55 Anonymous, 'The national inaugurated', Rotterdam Bouwt, 4 (1949/50) 7/8 p. 7-10 Anonymous, 'The Dutch Trading Company', Rotterdam Bouwt, 5 (1950/51) 67 p.13-l5 Anonymous, 'Building Emporium Rotterdam' Bouw, 7 (1952) 36 p. 638-639 Anonymous, 'Announcements, Royal awards', Bouwkundig Weekblad, 70 (1960) 10 p.231 Beerdens, A., 'De Economische Hogeschool te Rotterdam, de ontoereikendheid van het midden' Tijdschrift voor Architectuur en Beeldende Kunsten, 37 (1970) 13 p. 314-319 Various authors, Nationaal Kompas, 40 (1966) Special issue of the house magazine of the Nationale Levensverzekeringbank (Nationale Nederlanden) issued on the occasion of the extension of the building in Rotterdam. Elffers, C., 'New office wing Sikkens' Lakfabrieken N.V. at Sassenheim, Bouwkundig Weekblad, 72 (1954) 37-38 p.313-317 Elffers, c., 'Chapel on estate "Beukbergen" at Huis-ter-Heide', Bouwkundig Weekblad, 73 (1955) 23 p.274 Elffers, C., 'The new factory complex of Sikkens' Lakfabrieken N. V. at Sassenheim, Bouwkundig Weekblad, 61 (1940) 13 p. 105-109 Elffers, C., 'Groen van Prinsterer Lyceum at Vlaardingen', Bouwkundig Weekblad, 75 (1957) p.475-479 Elffers, c., 'We are building again', Bouwkundig Weekblad, 61 (1940) 36 p.288-289 Elffers, c., 'We build again', Bouwkundig Weekblad, 61 (1940) 48 p.386-387 Wagenaar, c., Prosperity city in the making, The reconstruction of Rotterdam 1940-1952, Rotterdam 1992 Education: LTS Rotterdam/;MTS at the Academy of Visual Arts Rotterdam/1914;day course in architectural studies/1922 Additional positions: Vereniging Bouwkunst en Vriendschap/secretary/1929;BNA/secretary/1939-1951;BNA/District Commissioner/1952-1954;Commission of Disputes and the College of Social Care/member/;Advisory Board for the new BNA building/member/1953-1964;Architectural Committee Rotterdam/member/1945;Architectura et Amicitia/member/1946-1970 Honors: Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau/1960