The organic brickwork that turned Amsterdam into a modernist Mecca

Design · Published 4 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Between 1910 and 1930, a radical architectural movement transformed the Netherlands. Using intricate masonry and sculptural details, the Amsterdam School sought to create a total sensory experience, blending socialist ideals with an expressive, flowing aesthetic that challenged the rigid lines of contemporary modernism.

Emerging from the office of Eduard Cuypers, the Amsterdam School was defined by a group of architects including Piet Kramer, Michel de Klerk, and Joan van der Mey. While Cuypers himself was not a progressive, he provided the creative freedom that allowed his staff to pioneer this style of international Expressionism. The movement's definitive starting point is widely considered the 1912 Scheepvaarthuis, or Shipping House, a collaborative achievement by these three architects.

The style is characterized by its 'total architecture' approach, integrating exterior masonry with interior elements like art glass, wrought iron, and decorative sculpture. Its buildings often feature organic, rounded shapes and complex brickwork. This aesthetic was frequently applied to social projects, such as schools and working-class housing estates, driven by the socialist visions of figures like Floor Wibaut. However, the movement was not without controversy; the De Stijl group published a manifesto in 1917 attacking the style as 'Modern Baroque,' while Rationalists later viewed it as a cautionary example.

Despite its success as the most prominent style of the 1920s, the movement's influence waned following de Klerk's death in 1923. The 1926 De Bijenkorf Store in The Hague stands as one of the final examples of its classic Expressionist form. Tragically, much of the legacy of architect Piet Kramer was nearly lost; following his death in 1961, a lack of institutional interest led to the burning of his blueprints, models, and drawings.

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