Buildings of the National Gendarmerie

Kortrijksestraat nos. 71-73. Former buildings of the Gendarmerie, built in the first half of the 20th century and consisting of the former residence of the brigade commander (no. 71) and the gendarmerie barracks (no. 73). Currently vacant; after a threat of demolition, a repurposing into a social housing project is planned designed by Buro II from Roeselare (research conducted by the Interbridge Society for Housing). History. By Royal Decree of December 9, 1901, a new gendarmerie brigade is established in Oostkamp; the construction of the barracks begins in 1902. From June 14, 1905 (cf. the date of a military circular), the gendarmerie brigade of Oostkamp comes into operation with one brigade commander and four mounted officers. Their area description includes Oostkamp, Loppem, Waardamme, and Zedelgem (until 1919). The municipal archive of Oostkamp holds a building application from 1928, requesting the construction of two houses ("Old Gendarmerie"). This likely concerns the detached house no. 71. Today, the police station is located, after a short time being housed in the town hall (cf. Gemeenteplein no. 1) and after the establishment of "police zone 5447 Het Houtsche" in 2002, at Siemenslaan no. 6. The main complex consists of the main wing (no. 73) and the former residence of the brigade commander (no. 71). The residence has been later adapted into a hairdressing salon, among other modifications, by adding a storefront. Detached house built in 1928, according to the preserved building application originally with an adjoining neighboring building, where the driveway to the rear parking area is now located. Red brick construction combined with a plinth and a roll cornice made of stone. The front facade is designed as a gable with an overhanging, stepped frieze. When the wooden storefront with a central door and cartouches (with or without inscription) (from the hairdressing salon?) was inserted, the oculus was bricked up, and the windows were enlarged to normal openings on the second floor. On the right, a brick wall with a gate extends as a garden wall. The rear facade, designed as a gable, has a bricked-up opening. No. 73. Anchored brick construction of two floors and ten bays, paired two by two, topped by a gabled roof covered with tiles, set between two side gables decorated with a stepped frieze. The southern side wall is blind and cemented. Half-basement floor. Segment-arched windows. Cornice on brackets. Rear facade with pronounced bays (second and third, sixth and seventh). Two more recent extensions against the rear facade. MUNICIPAL ARCHIVE OOSTKAMP, Building applications: Oostkamp, 1928. PROVINCIAL LIBRARY TOLHUIS BRUGGE, Oostkamp. Iconography. BOULJON B., Het Oostkamp, Ruddervoorde, Hertsberge and Waardamme from then. A collection of photos of the four Oostkamp districts in the 19th and the first half of the 20th century, Brugge, 1984, p. 59. CLAEYS G., Chronicle of Oostkamp, Brugge, 1985, p. 296. CLAEYS G., Oostkamp in old postcards, Zaltbommel, 1982, no. 22. DEMULDER J., Het Houtsche: from lordship to police zone, in Heemkundige Kring Oostkamp, no. 13, 2006, p. 13. GILTE B., Gendarmerie barracks become social housing project, in Het Nieuwsblad, June 29, 2006. VAN SLAMBROUCK J., Gendarmerie Brigade Oostkamp, in Heemkundige Kring Oostkamp, vol. 2, no. 4, 2001, pp. 28-29.

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