foreword
by Lucien den Arend for a study about the completion of Grote Kerk
Tower of Dordrecht
- which has never been finished up to this day
"as
far back as I can remember the Grote Kerk with its imposing tower has
always been part of my experience - as I was born in the old city
center, and lived there until the age of ten. Even during my next
thirteen years in the United States of America the tower remained
within my perception as it was portrayed on prints, cookie jars and
other daily household objects, in my home as well as the various
immigrant friends from Dordrecht. During my vacations in Dordrecht I
sketched it from different viewpoints. There was absolutely no reason
to question why it looked as it did. It was just there.
For nearly forty years I have
lived on the opposite riverbank, in the town of Zwijndrecht, with
a twenty four hour a day view of the tower. It is in fact our personal
clock; and its bells ringing the time as well as melodies and concerts in the summer.
Aside from this, during my interaction with this building, I learned
that the tower had never been completely finished according to the
original plans; and that the baroque top from 1626 was realized
almost 200 years after the break in the building proceedings.
Progressively I felt the need for a completion of the project. This
spring I decided to request the Committee for Art and Architecture to
enable me to make a proposal based on my ideas which had crystallized
to a certain extent."
