A.W. Gmelig Meyling (1909-1991) Architect Albertus Wilhelm Gmelig Meyling was born in Amsterdam in 1909. He passes his architecture exams in 1931 at the Middelbare Technische School in Amsterdam and continues his education at the Rijksacademie voor Beeldende Kunsten, also in Amsterdam. During his studies, he worked as a draftsman-supervisor for the architects A. Ingwersen and P. Verhave and as head supervisor for the architects J. Roodenburgh and W. Ouëndag. After graduating in 1936, he received an appointment with IBIV, the Ingenieurs Bureau Ingenegeren-Vrijburg in the former Dutch East Indies. While employed by the bureau, Gmelig Meyling designed a wide variety of buildings: expansion of the Roman Catholic Naval Home in Surabaya (1937); the Christian Naval Home in Surabaya (1938); the paper factory 'Padalarang' with associated offices and housing in Padalarang (1939); hangars for military aviation (1939); the bookstore and printing house 'Visser & Co.' at Bandung (1940); the residences for Resident Ter Laag and General Statius Muller, both at Ciumbuluit near Bandung (1941). The Mission Hospital at Magelang cannot be completed because of the Japanese occupation in 1942. Gmelig Meyling himself spent much of the war time in Japanese internment camps in Bandung and Tjimahi. From this camp period date many sketch designs, particularly of (country) houses. After Japan's capitulation and Indonesia's unilateral declaration of independence in 1945, a chaotic period followed. Gmelig Meyling leaves for the Netherlands in January 1946 partly for health reasons, where he works for some time in the service of architect J. Roodenburgh on the reconstruction of the Netherlands. In February 1947, he returned to Bandung, Indonesia, to resume his work with the IBIV. Among other things, he designed the honorary fields, which were realized in Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang and Tjimahi in the period 1947-1951. The first apartment building by his hand bears the name "Nestlé" and is built in Surabaya in 1951. In April 1952, he was appointed by the IBIV as architect-director for a term of 5 years. At his own request, the contract is not renewed. Gmelig Meyling feels that the shareholders are not sufficiently willing to adapt the company's form, which he considers necessary 'partly in connection with the development of events here in the country'. When his contract expires in April 1957, he leaves on the next boat for the Netherlands. Not much later, the curtain also falls for the Ingenieurs Bureau Ingenegeren-Vrijburg. The long-running conflict between the Netherlands and Indonesia over New Guinea prompts the Indonesian government to put Dutch companies in Indonesia under state control and subsequently nationalize them. A mass exodus of Dutch entrepreneurs sets in. Among them are also the directors of IBIV.