Architects: J.H.J. Kayser jr.  (1879-1963)
Johannes Henricus Julius Kayser, or shortly Jules Kayser, was born in Venlo on October the 2nd 1879 as the son of catholic architect J.H.J. Kayser (1842-1917). In 1891 the family moved to Maastricht, where Jules completed his secondary education. In 1906 he graduated at the Technical College in Delft and joined his father's office in Maastricht. His first religious work was probably the convent chapel in Munstergeleen of 1910, a building in neo-Gothic style.

In May 1913 he opened his own office in Venlo. A major religious assignment came in 1915 for the design for a Dominican convent near Venlo, a complex to which Kayser would make several changes and additions until 1960.

Unlike his father, who mostly designed buildings of a religious nature, Kayser jr. also designed many profane building including houses, shops, schools and town halls, mainly in Venlo and the surrounding area, as well as restoring many older buildings.

Kayser's career is divided in two periods, with the Second World War forming a clear break in which Kayser mainly completed a few restorations and designed a plan for the development of Venlo. The first period between 1910 and 1940 shows the influence of Expressionism in both designs of a religious nature as well as in profane buildings. In the second period, 1945 until ca. 1960, Kayser worked in a Traditionalist style. The war had left much of the north of the province of Limburg in ruins and like many other architects Kayser became involved in the reconstruction.
 
He died in Venlo on October the 20th 1963.

The following is a list of churches attributed to J.H.J. Kayser Jr.,
 
1910 Munstergeleen (L): chapel convent Abshoven





Cruciform aisleless chapel in neo-Gothic style.
 
1921-1922 Venlo (L): church H. Hart

Centralizing church in Expressionist style. The original design included a tower which was not build. Extended with side-aisles in 1926.
 
1923 Reuver (L): enlargement church St. Lambertus







Addition of a northern side-aisle to Kayser sr.'s church of 1880 in matching neo-Gothic style.
 
1924 -1925 Maastricht (L): church St. Hubertus








Big cruciform basilica in Expressionist style. 
 
1924 Swartbroek (L): church St. Cornelius

Cruciform church in Expressionist style. 
 
1925-1927 Venray (L): church O.L.V. van Zeven Smarten

Aisleless church in Expressionist style, part of a Franciscan monastery.
 
1926 Venlo (L): chapel Dominican convent Bethanië

Chapel in Expressionist style.  
 
1933-1934 Velden (L): church St. Andreas

Three-aisled pseudo-basilica in Expressionist style. Badly damaged in 1944 and restored after the war with a heightened tower.
 
1947-1948 Egchel (L): church St. Jacobus de Meerdere

Aisleless and towerless church in Traditionalist style. Destined as a temporary church but never replaced.
 
1950-1951 Oirlo (L): church St. Gertrudis

Three-aisled pseudo-basilica in modern Traditionalist style, incorporating the choir of the destroyed predecessor.  
 
1950-1951 Maasbree (L): tower church St. Aldegundis

Tower in Traditionalist style,replacing a 15th-century tower destroyed in 1944.
 
1951-1953 Roermond (L): church O.L. Vrouw van Altijddurende Bijstand

Three-aisled pseudo-basilica in modern Traditionalist style. Demolished in 2000.
 
1951-1953 Venlo (L): tower church  St. Martinus








Tower in Traditionalist style for a big Gothic church. In 1946-1948 Kayser had restored the church and extended the nave.
 
1952 Swolgen (L): church St. Lambertus

Three-aisled pseudo-basilica, incorporating the Gothic choir and the neo-Gothic side-aisle walls of its predecessor.
 
1955-1956 Venlo (L): restoration and enlargement convent church








Restoration of a Gothic church and addition of chapels at the front.
 
1957-1958 Afferden (L): church H. Cosmas en Damianus

Three-aisled cruciform basilica in modern Traditionalist style, incorporating the Gothic tower of the destroyed predecessor.
 
1959-1962 Venray (L): tower church St. Petrus' Banden

Big tower for a Gothic church.
 
 
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