Mercurius

Detached and imposing factory building 'Mercurius' (1919-1921), part of the historic pellery complex, was designed by Wormerveerse contractor-architect Mart J. Stam on behalf of N.V. Koninklijke Pellerij 'Mercurius' formerly Gebroeders Laan. This building, a mix of reinforced concrete and Art Deco style, was connected to warehouse 'Koningsbergen' around 1920 and occupied a large part of the site east of the Zaan bridge. After restoration by Jan Boot (1995-1997), 'Mercurius' now serves as North Holland's provincial archaeological depot.

The former rice husking plant Mercurius was called a solid foundation, consisting of 476 piles with a length of thirteen metres. The factory was called a rectangular plan with a width of 33.10 metres and 53.50 metres. The building had four storeys and an attic floor. The structure was constructed as brick in a reinforced concrete skeleton. Design came from the Wormerveer building architect Marinus Salm (1884-1967). Bold because it was a large-scale design for the time and allowed efficient assembly by reusing the interior walls. To create the largest possible floor area, concrete beams were chosen from bottom to top.

The rice husking plant Mercurius is the southern building of the factory complex of the firm Gebroeders Laan, which was built in 1917. The firm's latest expansion needed a substantial extension due to the rising demand for rice. The design reflects the flow of modern production in the Zaan region in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Laan brothers embarked on a new challenge: right against the flow they were taking up, the Gebroeders

Image: Dennis Lute