Hendrik Willem Valk was born in Elst in 1886. Before becoming an architect himself he worked for several architects, like W. te Riele in Deventer. After that he attended the school of arts and crafts in Amsterdam, after which he worked at the office of Jos. Cuypers and Jan Stuyt in that city. Especially Stuyt became a major influence for Valk, who shared Stuyts interest for early early-christian and Byzantine architecture. During his period in Amsterdam Valk witnessed the rise of the Amsterdam School of Expressionist architecture, which became an influence in his early work. In 1915 Valk started his own firm, first in Blerick, later in 's-Hertogenbosch. His first works are houses, but in the 1920's he became an important architect of catholic churches. Although Valk had no contacts with M.J. Granpré Molière and therefore cannot be considered a member of the Delft School, he was a Traditionalist, although he continued to use Expressionistic elements for some time. Under the influence of the Liturgic Movement he designed several churches with a ground plan designed to optimize the involvement of the believers with the mass. Such churches have a wide central aisle, narrow side-aisles, a wide transept and a short but illuminated choir. In the centre, clear for all to see, is the altar. In 1934 Valk wrote a book about these 'christocentric churches'
After 1925 his ideas and style became more conservative. In 1929, after a conflict, he was expelled from the BNA, the country's leading organisation of architects. Like A.J. Kropholler, Valk was convinced that good architecture should be rooted in the traditions of the rural parts of the country. It's ideas like these that urged Valk, like Kropholler, to join the fascist movement Zwart Front (Black Front, later renamed Nationaal Front), for which he became, at least in name, leader of the 's-Hertogenbosch area. Although this movement was disbanded by the Germans in 1941, Valk after the war was regarded a collaborator. Reasons for this could be several articles he had published during the war and his accepting of assignments from the nazi's, like that for a monumental bridge in Echt, Limburg, which however was never built. Until 1948 Valk was excluded from governmental assignments, while until 1950 he was not allowed to enter competitions. After 1950 he was once again very active. In this period he occassionally was assisted by his sons G.H.F. and H.W. Jr.. He died in 's-Hertogenbosch in 1973.
The following is a list of both his religious and profane work, and is still incomplete. Pictures positioned on the right are restorations etc..

1921 's-Hertogenbosch (NB): houses Gheert van Calcarplein

19 houses in sober Expressionistic style.

1921 's-Hertogenbosch (NB): apartments

Further details are unknown.

1922 's-Hertogenbosch (NB): apartments Emmaplein

Apartment-building in moderate Expressionistic style, and the first such building in this city. The white plastic covers on the roof are not original, and spoil the look of this building.

1922-1924 Utrecht (U): church St. Aloysius

Valk's first church, a hexagonal building in neo-Byzantine/neo-Romanesque style with dome and a small tower at the front.

1924-1925 Waalwijk (NB): church St. Jan de Doper

Valk probably had to thank Jan Stuyt for this job, who was originally commissioned. This was Valk's largest assignment ever and the largest dome-church in the entire country. The church has 19 parabola-shaped copperplated domes and a minaret-like tower. The largest dome is on the central church-space; the other domes are on chapels which are arranged radially around the central space.

1926-1927 Heeswijk-Dinther (NB): extension abbey church

New nave and front in Expressionistic style for an older church. The extension was a gift from the farmers organisation NCB, the founder of which, Father G. van der Elsen, was honoured with a sculpture at the front.

1926 Knegsel (NB): church H.H. Monulphus en Gondulphus

Robust three-aisled cruciform pseudo-basilican church in Traditionalist style with references to late-Gothic.

1926-1928 Oisterwijk (NB): church St. Johannes van Oisterwijk

Three-aisled cruciform basilican church in moderate Expressionistic style, with some references to Gothicism. The tower was finished 1951-1953 by G.H.F. Valk, H.W.'s son.

1927-1929 Amsterdam (NH): church Heilige Ignatius ('De Zaaier')

Church with robust front with two towers. Currently used as a mosque.

1927-1928 Hilversum (NH): church Heilig Hart

Robust three-aisled church in Expressionist style.

Convent built in Expressionist style, with school.

1928-1929 's-Hertogenbosch (NB): church H. Barbara en Anthonius

Demolished ca. 1990.

Christocentric cruciform basilica in a Traditionalist style inspired by Gothicism. Frontal tower flanked by polygonal chapels. The choir is a crossing-tower with a lower polygonal apse.

1929 's-Hertogenbosch (NB): workers-houses Van Noremborghstraat

A group of houses decorated with elements in Expressionistic style.

1929 Loon op Zand (NB): extension church St. Jans' Onthoofding

This medieval church was enlarged by the addition of long chapels on both sides of the choir.

1929 Waalre (NB): town hall

Town hall in Traditionalist style. Further details unknown.

1929 Tilburg (NB): church H. Antonius van Padua

Towerless church in moderate Expressionist style. Demolished in 1981.

1929 Tilburg (NB): convent

Complex in moderate Expressionist style, with chapel. Recently rebuilt into apartments.

1929-1931 Tilburg (NB): church St. Theresia

Church designed in cooperation with C.W. van den Beld. Influences of Amsterdam School Expressionist architecture. Dome on the crossing, wide transept. Short but wide tower at the front, as well as a smaller tower.

1929-1932 Alphen aan de Maas (G): church St. Lambertus

New nave and transept added to an otherwise medieval church.

1930-1931 Kronenberg (L): church H. Teresia van het Kind Jezus

Compact cruciform church in a combination of Expressionism and more traditional styles. Transept is lower than the nave, the tower has stepped gables.

1930-1931 Eersel (NB): enlargement church St. Willibrordus

Enlargement of a medieval church. Side-aisles lengthened to run along the tower, lengthening of chapels and replacement of the choir by a new one with lateral-chapels. These measures resulted in a centralizing ground-plan, a christocentric church. 

1930-1931 Moergestel (NB): church St. Jan de Doper

Cruciform church with a transept lower than the nave. Valk's design replaced a medieval church of which only the tower was spared.

1930-1931 St. Michielsgestel (NB): church St. Michaël

Three-aisled basilican christocentric church in Traditionalist style. The tower has four pointed gables, the spire has four rhomb-shaped sides. Choir largely similar to that of the church in Panningen.

1930-1931 Tubbergen (Ov): town hall

Town hall in Traditionalist style, with stepped gables.

1930-1933 Heeze (NB): church St. Martinus en St. Agatha

Christocentric cruciform basilica in Traditionalist style with influences from Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Tower similar to the one in St. Michielsgestel (1930).

1930-1932 Oirschot (NB): extension carmelite convent Blijendaal

Several buildings, including a chapel, were added to the original convent, an old house.

1931 Panningen (L): house with doctor's practice

Valk assists architect J. Bongaerts for this project, a house in Traditionalist style.

1931-1933 Haalderen (G): church O.L.V. van Zeven Smarten

Church in Traditionalist style. Damaged during WWII and restored by H. Valk jr., who ommitted the tower. The tower was rebuilt in 1958 by Joh. H. Sluijmer.

1932-1933 Groessen (G): extension church St. Andreas

New christocentric transept, crossing and choir added to an otherwise medieval church. 

1932-1933 Achterveld (U): church St. Joseph

Christocentric cruciform basilica in a style inspired by early Gothicism. Tower in 'Gothic' style. Large square crossing tower.

1932-1933 Enschede (Ov): church St. Jacobus de Meerdere

Cruciform centralizing church in neo-Byzantine style with asymmetric facade and wide tower. Designed in cooperation with Joh. H. Sluijmer.

1932-1934 's-Hertogenbosch (NB): villa Fort Sint-Anthonie

Valk's own house was built, with special permission, on top of an old fortress at 's-Hertogenbosch's entrance when coming from Vught. It's decorated with many elements taken from older styles.

1932-1935 Beek en Donk (NB): church St. Michaël

Cruciform basilican church with a tower of five segments, three-aisled nave and transept, square crossing-tower with saddle-roof above the choir. The design of this christocentric church shows influences of Gothic. Due to the materials that were used, notably the hand-shaped bricks, the church at first sight looks much older than it is. Originally the crossing-tower was planned to be taller than the tower.

1933-1934 Doetinchem (G): O.L. Vrouwe Ten Hemelopneming

Christocentric cruciform basilican church, with very wide transept and square crossing-tower. Frontal tower inspired by Gothicism. 

1934 Heeswijk-Dinther (NB): gate to the abbey

Gate in Traditionalist style.

1934 Dokkum (Fr): Bonifatiuskapel

Chapel in neo-Romanesque style for a so-called procession-parc.

1937 Waalre (NB): house 'De Kempen'

House for writer Anton Coolen, similar in style to Valk's own house. Coolen was not completely satisfied; the house was too large, and thus too expensive. Also, Valk had done several experiments with new materials that continued to cause problems for some time.

1937 Vught (NB): rebuilt house Leeuwenstein

Rebuilt of a neo-Gothic house from 1901 into a town hall. The tower was given a new onion-shaped spire, while statues were placed at various corners of the building.

1939-1943 Waalre (NB): restoration former church St. Willibrordus

During the first stages of the restoration of this old church the Romanesque origins of the nave are discovered. The nave is reconstructed to its original state while a Gothic trave and tower are restored the way they were, resulting in a strange contrast.

1948-1949 's-Hertogenbosch (NB): new facades Van Landschot Bank

Two medieval houses received a new facade in late-Gothic style, and became the head-office of the Van Landschot Bank.

1948-1951 Lage Zwaluwe (NB): church H. Johannes de Doper

Three-aisled pseudo-basilican cruciform church in Traditionalist style mixed with Gothic influences.

1949-1952 Boxmeer (NB): church St. Petrus

Big basilica in Traditionalist style.

1951-1954 Herten (L): church St. Michaël

Three-aisled pseudo-basilican cruciform church in Traditionalist style mixed with Gothic influences.

1952-1953 Huissen (G): church Heilige Martelaren van Gorcum

Church designed in cooperation with G.H.F. Valk. Square tower.

1952-1953 Helmond (NB): church H. Hartkerk

Large cruciform church with tower and square crossing-tower. Demolished 1982.

1953-1955 Sevenum (L): church H.H. Fabianus en Sebastianus

Cruciform church designed in a combination of styles in cooperation with G.H.F. Valk. Tower in semi-Gothic style. Transept lower than the nave. Nave is very similar to those of other churches by Valk of this period.

1953-1955 Alphen (NB): church St. Willibrordus

Three-aisled basilican cruciform church, incorporating a medieval tower. Designed in cooperation with G.H.F. Valk.

1953-1955 Apeldoorn (G): church St. Victor

Church designed in a Traditionalist style. Front with two different-sized towers in Romanesque style. Probably designed in cooperation with G.H.F. Valk.

1954-1959 Eindhoven (NB): church O.L. Vrouw Rozenkrans

No further details. 

1955-1958 Arcen (L): church H. Petrus

Church in a Traditionalist style, designed in cooperation with H.W. Valk jr., G.H.F. Valk and F.H. Stoks. Front with two different-sized towers in Romanesque style, similar to the church in Apeldoorn. Small windows. Square crossing-tower.

1957 Utrecht-Zuilen (U): church St. Jacobus

Church in Traditionalist style. Square crossing-tower. Probably designed in cooperation with G.H.F. Valk.

1961 Schipluiden (ZH): church St. Jacobus

Valk's last church. Hexagonal church in a moderm Traditionalist style. Probably mainly designed by G.H.F. Valk.