The pumping station on 'Laapersveld' (or Laapers field) (1919 - 1920)

At the end of Laapersveld (or Laapers field) stands Dudok's pumping station. The park is a design by Dudok in cooperation with the landscaper Mr.Meijer.

The drainage system of Hilversum did not work. The town of Hilversum lay quite low. When it rained hard, Hilversum had muddy streets. For the drainage of this water and sewage water, a pumping station in the area of Utrechtseweg (or Utrecht road) was needed. From a collection point, the waste water can be pumped along to the flow fields by the village of Loosdrecht. The rainwater can be collected in a pond, and in case of serious rainfall, pumped along to the Old Harbor. Dudok asked the advice of Dr. König, a German engineer and specialist in sewer systems. He took König's advice to heart and designed a park around the pumping station with the pond as the central point.

The pond, with a surface of 1 hectare, was dug down to the ground waterlevel. With the sand that was recovered, a hilly landscape was created. There maining dirt was used on the grounds of the future Sportspark, on the other side of the railway tracks, to level it. In the pond, two small islands were created. These earthworks were carried out by the unemployed in the form of paid unemployment relief.

At the end of Laapersfield, at 'Utrechtse Weg' (or Utrechts road), the pumping station was built: symmetrically arranged, cubist volumes built of brick. The building got garden walls and flower beds and lanterns. Shutters and doors were painted black, green, and ochre. In 1996, the park was completely renovated, and in 1997, the pumping station.

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