Dr. Neher Laboratorium, Research laboratory in Leidschendam-Voorburg, Netherlands
Dr. Neher Laboratory is a research facility marked by a distinctive 52-meter tower at its central wing and designed in a W-shaped layout. The structure follows post-war reconstruction architecture and remains recognizable from a distance by this prominent central element.
Built in 1955 by architect Sam van Embden, the facility served PTT's telecommunications research and development needs. It became a center for creating early Dutch computing machines and communication systems in the years following World War II.
The building contains artistic works such as a bronze figure by L.O. Wenkebach and a concrete PTT relief by G. van Remmen integrated into its design. These pieces reflect how the facility combined scientific work with artistic expression during the post-war period.
The facility now contains apartments, a restaurant called Proeflokaal Bregje, and an auditorium space. This auditorium can hold around 100 people and is regularly used for events and gatherings.
Between 1947 and 1957, the facility developed the Netherlands' first post-war encryption equipment for protecting telex communications. These systems were named Colex and Ecolex and represented an important step in early Dutch cryptography.
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