Jan van Dongen jr.,full name Johannes Gerardina Antonius van Dongen, was born on March the 1st of 1896 in a catholic family in Breda, where his father was a blacksmith and a bicycle salesman. After primary school Jan attended the Ambachtschool (a vocational school for crafts), which he successfully ended as a carpenter apprentice. During military service he took a course for architectural overseer and in 1917-1918 worked as an intern for his uncle, architect  J.A. van Dongen in his hometown Breda. In 1919 he moved to Amsterdam, where he studied architectural engineering and worked for the municipality. Once graduated in 1923, he married and moved to Apeldoorn, while being associated with his uncle in Breda. To avoid confusion with his uncle, he added junior to his name. His earliest works are houses and mansions. In 1923-1925 he built his first church, the H.H.. Fabianus en Sebastianus in Apeldoorn. He built several more churches and chapels in this part of the country, being one of a few catholic architects in a mostly protestant region. The association with his uncle ended in ca. 1930. His first works are in Expressionist style, although Van Dongen resented the Amsterdam School, and are of an unconventional, progressive nature. Later he worked in a Traditionalist style, closely related to the Delft School, while his last churches are in a modern style related to Functionalism.

Van Dongen died in Apeldoorn on the 20th of January 1973.

1923-1925 Apeldoorn (G): church H.H. Fabianus en Sebastianus

Large three-aisled church in Expressionist style, the first multi-aisled church in the  Netherlands without pillars. Open steeple at the back. The first design was not accepted due to its unconventional nature.

1926-1928 Breda (NB): church H. Sacrament

Large, almost square centralizing church. The proposed tower was not built. 

1931 Steenwijksmoer (Dr): church St. Franciscus

One-aisled church in Traditionalist style, with saddle roof tower above the choir.

1933-1934 Assen (Dr): church O.L.V. ten Hemelopneming

One-aisled church in Traditionalist style, with saddle roof tower and straight choir.

1938-1939 Apeldoorn (G): chapel Sint Jozefstichting

Chapel in Traditionalist style, part of a mental hospital for which Van Dongen designed several other buildings.

1939 Apeldoorn (G): church St. Theresia

 
Large one-aisled church in Traditionalist style, with tower above the choir.

1941 Assel (G): H. Geestkapel

Small one-aisled chapel in Traditionalist style, with tower.

1950-1952 Aalten (G): church St. Helena

Basilica in a Traditionalist style, inspired by Roman architecture. The lower part of the destroyed predecessor, a neo-Gothic church by A. Tepe, was incorporated.

Three-aisled basilica in Traditionalist style, with frontal tower.

1953 Arnhem (G): chapel Insula Dei

Chapel in Traditionalist style, inspired by Romanesque.

1953-1954 Bentelo (Ov): church O.L.V. van Altijddurende Bijstand

Church in Traditionalist style, with narthex at the front and a tower at the side.

1954 Veenendaal (G): church St. Salvator

Church in Traditionalist style.

Church in Functionalist style.

1962 Deventer (Ov): Carmelite convent

Complex in Traditionalist style.

1962-1964 Odijk (U): St. Nicolaas