Formerly Gortpellerij van de Gebr. A. and J.A. Laan, is a complex of buildings along the Zaan that was established between 1893 and 1921. The form. grain warehouse Donau (Veerdijk 37), a deep four-storey building with gable roof, was designed in 1894 according to the design of the gebr. Gorter built as an extension of the steam barley mill founded in 1893.
The kink in the façade is the result of the course of the former dyke route. The form. grain warehouse Koningsbergen (Veerdijk 36), a three-storey brick building with flattened gable roof, was built in 1897-'98 by contractor architect D. Stam. To the left of the Danube warehouse and in the same style, the five-layer grain warehouse Silo / Oslo (Veerdijk 38), with six-layer unloading tower, was built in 1905 according to the plans of the brothers. Gorter. Behind this came in 1912 the more than 36 meters high form. grain silo (Mercuriusweg 1) established, since 1962 called 'Lassie' and now a silo for unprocessed rice. This functionalist building was executed in reinforced concrete by F.J. Stulemeijer & amp; amp; Co.; the construction was possible J.G. Wiebenga involved.
In a second line behind the Koningsbergen and Donau warehouses located directly on the Zaan is an ensemble of four rectangular, white plastered blocks with the steam barley mill (1893), the barley mill (1900-'01), the building for gerstreininiging (1906; now technical service), the barley silo (1908) and the oatmeal factory (1910-'11, now kokerij). With the exception of the barley silo, these buildings were all designed and built by the gebr. Gorter. The form. factory building Mercurius (Veerdijk 32), from 1919-'21 to design by M.J. Stam, has a construction with concrete mushroom floors. The flat floors run through in the loading balconies. The reinforced concrete is incorporated in the architecture of the building in a decorative way in combination with expressionistic elements. The building was intended for storage, grain processing and shelving and changing rooms and has served as a provincial archaeological depot since the restoration in 1995-'97 (J. Boot).
