Maastricht (L): H.
Hartkerk (A.J.N. Boosten & J. Ritzen, 1921-1922)
In 1912 the construction of a new church was announced, that
was to be built in the Wijck neighbourhood of Maastricht, near the
station. This was to be a neo-Gothic church designed by architect M.
Rademakers and built of marl. The plan was however postponed and
instead only a wooden temporary church was built. By 1920 that had
become much too small for the parish and it was decided that an
entirely new design was to be made, a centralized church with a big
dome. The young architects Boosten and Ritzen were asked to make a
design. They made a plan for an octagonal concrete building.
Although the church was praised by other architects, the conservative
clergy in the Roermond diocese, who still clung on to neo-Gothicism,
could not appreciate it. Boosten even had to defend himself against
accusations of socialism. Still, work started in 1921. A concrete
skeleton was covered with natural stone, including marl. Resting on
eight pillars which are hidden inside the walls are two concrete domes,
in between which is a space of ca. 2 metres. In 1929 a baptistry and an
extention at the back were added, followed in 1953 by a side-aisle with
a chapel. Many famous artists took care of parts of the interior. Two
towers had been in the design but they were never built.
This church and the H. Johannes de
Doper in Eygelshoven of the same period were the only two churches
the two architect built together. Ritzen moved to Antwerpen in 1924 and
the conservative clergy of Limburg, who in many cases still clung to
neo-Gothicism, prevented Boosten from getting further assignments for
churches until 1929, except for one enlargement. By that time the
climate for progressive church architecture had improved, and although
he ultimately became the most important architect of churches in the
Roermond diocese Boosten would never get such a big assignment again.