Vlisco B.V.

The Vlisco B.V. complex has a great cultural-historical meaning as an example of socio-economic development.

This picturesque complex consists of various parts: the old factory from 1911, the water tower from 1884, the boilerhouse from 1913, the boilerhouse extensions from 1927 and 1937 and the fabric printery. The style of the buildings varies from eclectic elements in the water tower and the new boilerhouse to the purely functional and constructive buildings surrounding the tower.
All these buildings belong to Vlisco B.V.. The complex is located on the western quay of the South William’s Canal. To the north, it borders the castle of Helmond, to the east the Kerkstraat and the Groenewoud and to the south, it borders the railway. The former factory building was constructed in 1911 by order of P.F. van Vlissingen. The building, prominently featured next to the South William’s Canal, is currently being used as a storage facility. The building can easily be recognized thanks to its exposed concrete skeleton and its sawtooth roof.
The former water tower was built based on a design by Th. Roijakkers. The octagonal tower is located in the middle of the Vlisco premises and, since its restoration in 1980, is currently being used by the fire department. The boilerhouse, consisting of two construction layers, was built in 1913. The two-story and three-story extensions date from 1927 and 1937. Nowadays, the building is used by an energy company. The former fabric printery from 1928 is built in a functionalistic style. Until recently, the four-story building, next to the Groenewoud, served as an engravery and housed the company archives and museum.
The Vlisco B.V. building complex has a great cultural-historical meaning as an example of socio-economic development. Especially the factory building from 1911, thanks to its typical shape and construction, is important as an expression of a technical and typological development. All that is what gives the complex an innovative and pioneer value.
Especially the factory hall from 1911 is important for the history of building technique. Its design gives its exterior and its interior a particular connection. The complex is an essential part of a greater whole, with a cultural-historical significance, as well as its impact on urban planning nationwide. The special meaning of the complex can also be found in its location, which goes hand in hand with the development and the expansion of Helmond, making it especially important for the city’s prestige. The complex is important because of the architectonic flawlessness, both inside as well as outside.

And finally, the building finds its significance in the construction technical, typological and functional rarity of the complex.

Qualification: National monument