The 5 most iconic Amsterdam School buildings in Amsterdam

A completely symmetrical imposing red brick church with stained glass windows representing the seven days of creation. The building also comprises seven apartments. Here the church and houses are adjoined, so that God could be close to his people. Jeruzalemkerk was built in the late 1920s and is an early result of crowdfunding. It’s especially beautiful when the sun sets. Enjoy the view from Cafe Cook’s terrace.

The gracefully undulating curves of this building contrast beautifully with the small horizontally slatted windows. It was commissioned by the socialist housing corporation ‘De dageraad’ (The dawn), designed by Michel de Klerk and Piet Kramer and built in 1920. It had 294 apartments and several ground floor stores. In one of the old shops you’ll find a visitor’s centre that’s open from Thursday till Sunday.

‘Het Schip’ (The ship) was built between 1914 and 1921 as a working man’s palace. The three buildings comprise low-rent housing for labourers, a post office and a tower. In the Museum of the Amsterdam School for architecture that’s located here, you can see an original labourer’s home filled with period pieces, as well as the post office. The Ship was designed by Michel de Klerk and is considered one of the finest exponents of this architectural style.

Vrijheidslaan (Freedom Lane) is the eastern entrance to Berlage’s Plan Zuid. At the end of the 20th century, this urban plan was implemented to end the housing shortage and improve the cramped living conditions in the city centre. There are many different examples of Amsterdam School architecture in this street, designed by a commission of 17 architects. After WWII it was briefly called Stalin Lane.

When ‘Het Sieraad’ (The Jewel) was built in the early 1920s it lay on the western edge of the city. This imposing structure was built on a pentagonal plot and has been home to several educational facilities since then. The facade is adorned by Hildo Krop’s sculptures. Nowadays, it’s still a school, but it also has a cafe-restaurant on the ground floor with a large waterfront terrace.