OSG West-Friesland, Secondary school building in Hoorn, Netherlands.
OSG West-Friesland is a secondary school building with limestone columns and pilasters connected by arches, featuring red brick walls beneath a slate roof. The main structure and an adjacent building called the Bontekoegebouw together form the school's facilities.
Construction took place between 1908 and 1910, relocating the school from a former chamber of the Dutch East India Company to this new purpose-built location. The building later gained protected monument status and underwent major renovations in 2017.
The building displays the symmetrical U-shaped layout that defined educational institutions in the early 1900s, reflecting ideas about order and structure in learning. The architecture shows how schools of that era used design to express their importance and purpose.
The building sits in central Hoorn and is easily reached on foot, with its classical architecture serving as a good visual landmark. The school can be viewed from outside by visitors, though interior access may be limited during school hours.
During World War II, Principal J.D. Poll actively worked to protect students from forced labor, giving the building an important human dimension. His actions show how this place embodied resistance and compassion during difficult times.
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