On the beautiful Kanaalweg in Delft, on the edge of the TU area, stands a striking building that has played a central role in the world of geodesy since 1895. Where Ingenieursbureau Geodelta is located today, professors, government officials and researchers previously worked on the foundations of the Dutch geo-information domain. This is the story of Kanaalweg 4: a place where science, technology and history come together.
A building designed for precision
The building was built between 1892 and 1895 to the design of state architect Jacobus van Lokhorst. The architecture, a hybrid of neo-Gothic and neo-Renaissance, was not only aesthetically exceptional but also functionally well thought out. Van Lokhorst designed the complex in the spirit of his teacher Pierre Cuypers, with logical applications of materials, robust constructions and asymmetrical facades that reflected the interior structure. The 111.5-meter-long building housed teaching, research and surveying practice. Even the professors' residence on the east side was incorporated into the design.
Above the entrance, five sculpted engineers still watch over visitors
Schols: the founder of geodetic education
The initiative for its construction came from Professor Dr. Ch.M. Schols, a pioneer in geodesy. He managed to convey the need for a modern geodesy building to the government and played a key role in its design and purpose. Under his leadership, the field of geodesy was firmly placed on the map within the Polytechnic School Delft, the forerunner of the Technical University. He himself occupied the official residence next to the main building and brought his scientific vision to life in stone.
Aerial photograph taken by the Phototechnical Service Aviation Division, circa 1930.
Schermerhorn and the geodetic ecosystem
The arrival of Willem Schermerhorn in 1926 as professor of geodesy gave the building a new lease of life. Schermerhorn ran his geodesic office out of the Geodesy Building. His office eventually formed the basis for the Survey Department of the Department of Public Works, which he himself initiated and directed for many years. In this way, he was able to bring the Survey Department of the Department of Public Works, the Commission for Degree Measurement and Water Adjustment, and education in geodesy together under one roof. This created a unique geodetic ecosystem in which theory and practice merged seamlessly. Under his leadership, Kanaalweg 4 grew into the national center for geodetic innovation, with international appeal.
In the 1950s, the complex was expanded with a tower housing the ITC (International Training Centre for Aerial Survey). This institute, also initiated by Schermerhorn, focused on training foreign engineers in aerial mapping and photogrammetry. It strengthened Delft's international role as a center for geodesy.
Schermerhorn to the radial triangulator he designed, May 1938
Time measurement
A notable part of the building is the observatory in the tower, which was used for astronomical time measurements. Through a transit instrument, star positions were measured, with which mean solar time could be determined. To support this, a highly accurate pendulum clock by Strasser & Rohde was installed in 1904. This clock, equipped with temperature-compensated pendulum and sapphire bearings, was one of the most reliable time references in the Netherlands until 1930. Combined with measurements from Leiden, it established the true time in the Netherlands.
The clock is now part of the academic heritage collection of TU Delft and is kept in the depot of the university library.
Dome with observatory in 1962
War years: science under pressure
During World War II, the building again played an important role. Schermerhorn's official residence at Kanaalweg 5 became a gathering place for students and resistance fighters. In 1942, Schermerhorn was arrested as a hostage and imprisoned in Camp Sint-Michielsgestel. After the liberation, in June 1945, the pre-constitutional deliberations of the first postwar cabinet: the Schermerhorn-Drees cabinet, took place in his home.
Geodelta: continuation of a tradition
The students have since left and the measuring instruments have been replaced by software and digital models. But the building lives on. Today, engineering office Geodelta is located here. We continue the tradition of geodetic craftsmanship, providing advice, control measurements and innovative software solutions in the field of geo-information. We work in the same place where Dutch time was once established, where science and government worked together, and where the foundations of the geo-domain were laid.
Kanaalweg 4 is more than a building. It is a living monument of Dutch geodesy, and we are proud to contribute to it every day.
