BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF CHR.H. NIELSEN (1910-1995) Christiaan (Chris) Nielsen was born on November 18, 1910 in Koningsburen, municipality of Franekeradeel. He attended elementary school on Vlieland; in Amsterdam Nielsen attended the three-year H.B.S. and the Industrieschool of the Maatschappij der Werkende Stand. In 1937, Nielsen graduated from the Hooger Bouwkunstig Onderricht in Amsterdam. Even before completing his studies at the H.B.O. in 1936, Nielsen joined the architectural firm of F.A. Eschauzier where he was employed for nine years. Only after World War II did Nielsen establish himself as an independent architect in Amsterdam, where he worked primarily with J.H.C. Spruit. With Spruit, he founded Architectenbureau Nielsen and Spruit in 1945. This partnership was changed to a B.V. on January 1, 1969, under the name "Architectengroep 69. The name Architectengroep 69 originated from the idea that the name should not be personal because of the continuity of the firm. In 1989, Architectengroep 69 merged with the firm Obbe Groenhout. The name of the firm was changed to 'Architectengroep 69 Groenhout'. Since 1955, Nielsen had been a board member of the Amsterdam Circle of the Bond Nederlandse Architecten (BNA). In 1957, he was appointed chairman of this circle. He was also a member of the Commission Regulating the Profession of Architect of the BNA. From 1956 to 1962, Nielsen was a member of the Amsterdam Beauty Commission and supervisor of several parts of Osdorp and Slotervaart. On May 15, 1962, Nielsen was appointed city architect of Amsterdam. He succeeded B. Merkelbach, who had died suddenly in October 1961. With Spruit, Nielsen was best known at the time as the architect of several Protestant churches, residential neighborhoods and some schools. In Amsterdam, Nielsen and Spruit designed the conversion of Proost & Brand on the Rusland (1957), Kampert & Helm printing office on the Plantage Doklaan (1957), the HTS on the Multatuliweg (1958) and housing in the garden cities of Amsterdam-Slotermeer and Buitenveldert. As master builder, Nielsen's task was to "coordinate and organize all building activities of the Public Works Department. Nielsen would gradually phase out his work as a private architect in order to then dedicate himself to the full 100 (...)