A growing car industry
In an era when the car industry was flourishing, companies such as Shell and Pon profited handsomely. To introduce Amsterdammers to Volkswagen too, the mid-1950s was the time for a branch in Amsterdam. Between 1955 and 1961 the new Autopon complex was built on the site of the Overtoomkerk, an initiative of Shell and Volkswagen importer Pon. Architects Commer de Geus and Ben Ingwersen took their inspiration for the building from the Unité d'Habitation, a housing complex in Marseille. For the die-hards: the architectural style is brutalism. The complex follows the curve of the road and was given a modern showroom where the newest models were sold. There was also a garage for maintenance and a basement in which two hundred cars could be stored. Above the showroom, 56 flats were built. The entrance to the showroom was at the rear, on the Zocherstraat.
Out of the city
Pon used the building on the Overtoom for just 16 years. In 1977 they left the premises and a branch of Sanders Meubelstad (a furniture store) moved in. The reason was the ever-worsening accessibility due to, you would not believe it, the traffic on the Overtoom. The building has now been home to the David Lloyd gym for more than 15 years.
- 01Above the entrance a glass showroom that 'sticks out' is still visible. This was where the newest Volkswagen models could be shown to the passing traffic in an attractive and, for its time, unique way. See the photo above.
- 02On top of the building's roof you will find a structure with a balcony that, like the car display case below, juts out. This was the boardroom, but today it is part of a home with a spectacular view. Many Amsterdammers wonder whether people actually live in this spot. The answer: yes, people really do live there!
- 03The building has been designated a Rijksmonument (national listed monument) since 2016 and is also listed in the Top 100 of post-war Amsterdam heritage.
