G.H.M. Holt (1904-1988) Gerardus Hendricus Maria (Gerard) Holt begins his training as an architect in 1923 at the School for Architecture, Decorative Arts and Art Crafts in Haarlem. When the school merges into the MTS in 1926, he decides to continue learning the architectural profession in practice. He began working as an apprentice with various Amsterdam School architects, most recently with Jan Boterenbrood, and settled as an independent architect in Amsterdam in 1929. Gerard Holt came from a progressive Catholic milieu and joined the associations of innovative architects early on: The 8 and Opbouw. At the same time, he maintained many contacts in Catholic circles. His clients mostly had a Catholic background. He was a member of the editorial board of the 'Katholiek Weekblad' from 1946 to 1951, but felt more at home with the ideas of 'Forum', a discussion platform for all Dutch architectural movements. From 1948-1955 he was on the editorial board of 'Forum'. One of Holt's first modern buildings is the open-air swimming pool (1932-1935) for Stoop's Bad in Overveen. This concrete outdoor pool with outbuildings forms the extension of the 1925 indoor pool designed by Ed. Cuypers. Holt's sympathy for modern construction helped lead to his appointment in 1947 as an extraordinary professor at the Department of Architecture at the Technische Hogeschool in Delft. Together with Van Lohuizen, Van Beusekom and Van Eesteren, Holt belongs to the first generation of "moderns" teaching in Delft. He remains in office until 1969. Holt played an important role in the changes in Catholic church building after 1945. Central to this were the use of simple materials and the omission of costly externals, without losing the dignity of the church building. An example of this is the Sint-Josephkerk in Amsterdam (1941-1950). In the late 1950s the need arose to involve the parishioners more spatially with the altar, which is visible in the Pastoor van Arskerk in Haarlem (1958-1961) and especially in the Verrijzeniskerk in Amsterdam (1958-1961). Here the parishioners surround the altar on three sides. Holt worked extensively with Bernard Bijvoet from 1945, especially in the field of theater construction. The pair realized the theaters in Tilburg (1953-1961) and Nijmegen (1955-1961) and the cultural centers of Apeldoorn (1961-1965), Tiel (1967-1969) and Winterswijk (1968-1969). Bijvoet and Holt succeeded in reducing the distance of the audience from the stage by constructing the auditorium in shell form, creating a shallow wide hall. Large areas of glass in the facades also invite the audience to visit the building. Their design for an Opera House in Amsterdam (1961-1976) is not carried out. The commission goes to Holt's son-in-law, architect Cees Dam. Together with Wilhelm Holzbauer, he realizes the Stoperagebouw in Amsterdam (1979-1988), which combines city hall and music theater. Holt was among others the designer of: the business premises for the purchasing organization Homobonus at Bentinckplein in Rotterdam (1938-1939); the honorary cemetery in Bloemendaal (with J.T.P. Bijhouwer and A. Komter; 1947); villa Looyen in Aerdenhout (with B. Bijvoet; 1948); the city theater in Tilburg (with B. Bijvoet; 1953-1961); the H. Jozefkerk in Amsterdam (with K.P. Tholens; 1953). Holt was also a teacher, and published frequently. Side activities: TH Delft, department of architecture/ordinary professor of architecture/