Willem Cornelis Coepijn was born in Dordrecht on November the 16th 1838. His father was a house painter and a wall paperer. The family moved to Kralingen in ca. 1851. Details about Coepijn's education are not known.
In 1868 he registered as an architect in Kralingen. He was a member of the municipal council from 1876 until 1895, when Kralingen was annexed by Rotterdam, and is mentioned in some sources as municipal architect. Among Coepijn's works are a floating swimmingpool, a house for the terminally ill, several protestant schools, a cemetery and an orphanage. With the exception of a synagogue, his religious works are all churches for the Gereformeerde Kerk, the calvinist denomination to which he belonged himself. Most of his work was carried out in Rotterdam and surroundings. Several of his works were destroyed on the 14th of May 1940 during the German bombing of the city, others were demolished later. Coepijn died in Rotterdam on August the 23rd 1909.
His son W. Coepijn (1871-1937) also became an architect.
The following is a list of Coepijn's churches only.
The church, a former reformed vicarage, was enlarged by extending it internally with a neighbouring house.
Aisleless church in Eclectic style.
Aisleless church in Eclectic style, largely a copy of Coepijn's church in Brielle.
Aisleless church in Eclectic style. Only the front remains, the rest of the church was replaced in 1972.
Aisleless church in Eclectic style.
Building in Eclectic style, inspired by Moorish architecture. Destroyed in 1940.
Church in neo-Renaissance style. Destroyed in 1940.
Church in neo-Renaissance style. Often attributed to (unknown) architects Gijzen and Van Wezel. Demolished in 1981.
Large church in Eclectic style. Demolished in 1977.
Large church in Rationalist style.