The son of Amsterdam banker Pieter de Clercq, Samuel de Clercq graduated from Delft University in 1900 as a civil engineer. A ZHESM railroad company employee, he designed stations, houses for the company’s workers, as well as utility buildings. After a hostile takeover, De Clercq started working as an independent architect, expanding his domain to villas (many for textile factory owners) and banks. His best known building is the head office of life insurance company “Centrale” in Den Haag (1935), for which he also designed part of the furniture. During the Interbellum, De Clercq regularly collaborated with Dolf Broese van Groenou, with whom he also designed the Stadium for Scheveningen that was entered for the 1924 Olympics. This was a plan designed in 1919 for the “Westbroekpark The Hague Stadium”, which, however, was not carried out. The project was inspired by the sports official [Pieter Scharroo]. The plans show a stadium for 50 - 60,000 spectators with a cycling track, space for equestrian competitions, and water sports. At the insistence of the mayor of Den Haag, the project was finally rejected by the city council and a park was created instead.
Netherlands