Architects: B.W. Plooij (1890-1967)

Bastiaan Willem Plooij (often misspelled Plooy) was born in Baarn on May 17 1890. He moved to Amersfoort in 1918 and was registered as an architectural overseer. In 1921 the municipality appointed him adjunct-inspector for public health as well as inspector for social housing. In 1924 he settled himself as an architect. Among his first works were several shops and the building for a catholic workers society in that city, although he was an active member of the local Gereformeerde kerk himself.

Among his other profane works are houses, a cigar factory (in Amersfoort) and schools in various places. He is however best known for the more than 40 churches he designed for both the Hervormde (reformed) and Gereformeerde protestant denominations. Unltil the Second World War he worked in an Expressionist style, mostly a moderate version which was replaced by a Traditionalist style in the late 1930's. Early in World War Two he built a church in Raamsdonkveer as well as fullfilling several assignments for repairs of war damage, but for most of the war he was not active. After the war he continued working in Traditionalist styles until his retirement. He died in Amersfoort on April the 3rd 1967.

The following is a list of Plooij's churches only.

 
1926-1927 Uithoorn-Amstelhoek (U): Gereformeerde kerk

Plooij's first church. Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with tower. Currently a house.

 
1926-1927 Voorthuizen (G): Gereformeerde kerk





Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with tower. Original dome-shaped spire lost in WW2 and replaced by a pointed one.

 
1928-1929 Pijnacker-Nootdorp (ZH): Gereformeerde kerk

Cruciform church in Expressionist style. Demolished in 1990.

 
1929 Mariënberg (Ov): temporary church

Wooden church, in 1934 replaced by the current Gereformeerde kerk by architect A. Wiersema.
 
1929-1930 Kampen (Ov): Gereformeerde Westerkerk


 

 

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with tower.

 

 

1929-1931 Rijssen (Ov): reformed Westerkerk


 

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with tower. Designed in conjunction with architect J.A. Heuvelink from Apeldoorn.

 
1930 Amersfoort (U): enlargement Gereformeerde Grachtkerk

Enlargement of an older church. Demolished in 1987. Plooij was a member of this church.

 
1930 Rijssen (Ov): Gereformeerde Ontmoetingskerk

 

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style with short tower with portal at the front. 

 

 

 
1930-1931 Vinkeveen (U): Reformed church

 

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with tall tower.

 
1930 Heemse (Ov): enlargement Gereformeerde kerk

No further details, demolished in 1979.

 
1930-1931 Zeist (U): Gereformeerde Noorderkerk

 

 

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with tower.

 

1931-1932 Wormerveer (NH): Gereformeerde Morgensterkerk

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with short tower. Closed in 1994, now apartments.

 

 
1931-1932 Ommen (Ov): Gereformeerde kerk

Big cruciform church in Expressionist style, with tower.

 
1931-1932 Zoetermeer-Zegwaart (ZH): Gereformeerde Pelgrimskerk







Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with tower.

 

1932 Maarssen (U): Gereformeerde kerk


 

 

Small church in moderate Expressionist style, with steeple.

 
 
1932-1933 Den Haag (ZH): Laakkerk

Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with high tower. Demolished after damage by fire in 1964.

 
1933 Alkmaar (NH): Gereformeerde Verlosserskerk

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with steeple on the crossing. Closed in 1991 and rebuilt into apartments.

 

1933-1934 Breda (NB): Gereformeerde Zandbergkerk 

 

 

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with steeple on the crossing.





 
1934-1935 Vlaardingen (ZH): Gereformeerde Oosterkerk

 

 

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style.

 

1935-1936 Monster (ZH): Gereformeerde kerk 

 

 

 


Cruciform church in Expressionist style, with steeple on the crossing.

 
1935-1936 Nieuw-Lekkerland (ZH): Gereformeerde kerk

Straight church in Expressionist style.

 

1935-1936 Zeist (U): Gereformeerde Oosterkerk

 

 

One of Plooij's most original designs; a church with two naves that meet each other in a wedge. Style is, as usual in this period of Plooij's career, Expressionist.

 

1936 Nieuw-Loosdrecht (NH): Gereformeerde kerk 

Small cruciform church in Expressionist style.

 
1936-1937 Scheveningen (ZH): Gereformeerde Pniëlkerk

 

 

 

 

Cruciform church in Expressionist style. Front dominated by two portals.

 
1937-1938 Nederhorst den Berg (NH): Gereformeerde Kerk

Rebuilt into houses.

 
1938 Sneek (Fr): design Gereformeerde kerk

Design only, in 1955 Plooij designed and built a new church.

 
1938-1939 Melissant (ZH): Gereformeerde kerk

Aisleless church in simple Expressionist style.
 
1938 Wezep (G): enlargement Reformed church

Spaces added to the back of an older church and addition of galeries to a previous extension; in 1935 Plooij had designed a completely new church which obviously wasn't build.
 
1938-1939 Opperdoes (NH): Gereformeerde kerk









Aisleless church in Traditionalist style, with L-shaped ground plan.
 
1939-1940 Amersfoort (U): Gereformeerde Westerkerk

 

 

 

Aisleless church in Expressionist style, with steeple on top.

 
1941 Raamsdonksveer (NB): Gereformeerde Kerk




Church in simple Traditionalist style.

 
1948 Kamerik (U): Gereformeerde kerk








Aisleless church in simple Traditionalist style.
 
1948-1950 Amersfoort (U): Gereformeerde Leusderkerk

 

 

Temporary church in very simple Traditionalist style. Original plan was for a wooden church.

 
1950 Oss (NB): Gereformeerde Kerk

 

 

 

Small church in Traditionalist style, with tower. Now a house.



 
1950 Nijkerkerveen (G): Gereformeerde kerk

Church in simple Traditionalist style.

 
1950 Hardenberg (Ov): Gereformeerde Kerk

Closed in 2006.

 
1951-1952 Vlaardingen (ZH): Gereformeerde Emmauskerk

Church in Traditionalist style, with short tower. Rebuilt into houses in 2010.

 
1951-1952 Amsterdam (NH): Gereformeerde Maranathakerk







Church in Traditionalist style. Portal with pillars. Now Coptic-Orthodox church.

 
1951-1953 Amersfoort (U): Gereformeerde Rehobothkerk

 

 

 

Church in simple Traditionalist style.

 
1952-1953 Treebeek (L): Gereformeerde Kruiskerk

Aisleless church in Traditionalist style.

 
1953-1954 Nieuw-Vennep (NH): Gereformeerde kerk

Church in Traditionalist style, with tower.

 
1954 Enschede (Ov): Gereformeerde Eudokiakerk

Demolished in 2003.

 
1954-1955 Utrecht (U): Gereformeerde Bethelkerk

 

 

 

 

Church in Traditionalist style, with short tower.

 
1954-1956 Werkendam (NB): Gereformeerde Maranathakerk

Church in Traditionalist style, with tower.

 
1955-1956 Sneek (Fr): Gereformeerde kerk

Church in Traditionalist style.

 

1955-1956 Den Haag (ZH): Gereformeerde Vredekerk

Church in Traditionalist style, with tower.

 
1956-1958 Meppel (Ov): Gereformeerde Nieuwe Kerk

Church in Traditionalist style, with octagonal ground plan and bell-gable at the front. Probably Plooij's last church.

 

 
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