President Albert Lebrun and the Minister of Education Jean Zay both attended the opening.

Abraham Preyer, collector and art dealer, donated a large sum in 1926 for the construction of the building in memory of his son Arthur Preyer, a lieutenant in the American Air Force who died in Italy on the 18th of August 1918 during World War I.

In line with Dutch modernist architecture, Dudok designed a functional and airy building, lit by large strip windows and horizontal bays on the facades of the east wing.

After the inauguration, three additional projects were undertaken: the completion of the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors in 1939, the transformation of the spaces planned for the study center into housing for students in 1945, and the transformation of a terrace of the south wing in rooms in the early 1950s.

[2] Juliana of the Netherlands visited the Dutch College twice: on June 25, 1931, as Crown Princess, and on May 25, 1950, as sovereign.