The building Het Schip (The Ship) marks the high point of socialhousing in the Netherlands.

Here, workers were not only provided with good quality accommodation, but they were also given a beautiful home. Characterised by unusual brick bonds and richly decorated with works of art, The Ship was aptly described as a workers' palace. Even as early as the 1920's, architects from all over the world came to see the building and to this day it still attracts a great deal of interest.

The building Het Schip (The Ship) marks the high point of socialhousing in the Netherlands.

Here, workers were not only provided with good quality accommodation, but they were also given a beautiful home. Characterised by unusual brick bonds and richly decorated with works of art, The Ship was aptly described as a workers' palace. Even as early as the 1920's, architects from all over the world came to see the building and to this day it still attracts a great deal of interest.

The architect behind The Ship is Michel de Klerk, sometimes referred to as the Rembrandt of architecture. De Klerk was an artist of many talents. To him, the exterior and the interior of a building were equally important. He toyed with shapes, not only as an architect but also as a draughtsman and furniture designer.

This book describes the visual language of The Ship and discusses the sources of inspiration that have led to the creation of this 'world wonder'