Van der Steur studied engineering at the
Technische Hogeschool Delft (Polytechnic college in Delft). After finalizing his studies in 1918 he worked for the
Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Railways) and later was an architect with
Gemeentewerken Rotterdam (Municipal works company Rotterdam). Like other architects in Dutch municipal and government service of that era, Van der Steur designed his buildings in the 1920s in a style similar to that of
Willem Marinus Dudok and the
Amsterdam School. In the early part of this period, he designed mainly schools, such as the
Johan van Oldenbarnevelt HBS (1925). After that, he designed several buildings in Rotterdam: • Quickfilter buildings for the water company, 1929 •
GEB-gebouw (municipal energy company building), 1931 with J.Poot •
Rijksseruminrichting (national vaccine institute), 1931 in
Oud-Mathenesse •
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, 1937 on private contract •
Erasmiaans Gymnasium, 1937 in
Dijkzigt • Central police bureau at
Haagseveer, 1938 •
Centraal Gebouw voor de Volksgezondheid (central building for public healthcare), 1938–1940 at
Schiedamsedijk. • Ventilation buildings of the
Maastunnel, 1940 •
Oogziekenhuis (eye hospital), 1942 Several of his designs are now listed on as a national monument in Rotterdam. In 1941 van der Steur, together with W.A.C.Herman de Groot and K.I.Ruige, founded his own architect company. His work was not limited to Rotterdam. He also designed the main office of
IJsselmij in Zwolle (1939 - 1946); an office building for an insurance company (1951 - 1953), today the residence of the
Yugoslavia Tribunaleight railway stations (1929); and one of the faculty buildings of his old school the
Polytechnic University Delft (1953). == Restorations ==