Rotterdam: A photo album

From Wikipedia: A major logistic and economic centre, Rotterdam is Europe's largest seaport. In 2020, it had a population of 651,446^[10] and is home to over 180 nationalities. Rotterdam is known for its university, riverside setting, lively cultural life, maritime heritage and modern architecture. The near-complete destruction of the city centre in the World War II Rotterdam Blitz has resulted in a varied architectural landscape, including skyscrapers designed by architects such as Rem Koolhaas, Piet Blom and Ben van Berkel.

I first visited Rotterdam in 1969. I returned in 2012 and again a few years ago with Richard Henriquez and our wives. While many parts of the city haven't changed, most have. Here are just a few of the photos I took while travelling around the city.

Rotterdam is a city full of interesting architecture. However, few buildings rival this new building by MVRDV architects. Known locally as the pot, I'm told the design was inspired by an IKEA cup. It is a Depot for the collection of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen which is undergoing an 8-year renovation. (This might remind you of The Royal BC Museum proposal)

When I studied architecture, I was encouraged to learn how to do more with less. This door is an example of doing less with more. Yikes!

Just some of the very interesting and oftentimes provocative work being stored until the museum opens

A look inside the building

Just some of the thousands of paintings being stored

From the roof deck there are fabulous views of the city

I was surprised to see some of the new very tall towers in Rotterdam.                They certainly weren't there the last time I visited the city.

One of my favourite buildings in the city is the central train station. Here's a         view of it from my hotel overlooking the station.

another view from my hotel window of new buildings in the city centre

The view looking out from inside the station

Some of the interesting new buildings just outside the station. I'm not a fan of what Ray Spaxman calls 'wobbly buildings' like these.

I'm not a fan of this either, but a lot of people like this sort of thing.

however, the view from in front of this building is quite lovely

While there are a lot of great buildings in the city, they're not all great. I suspect these buildings have small windows since the Dutch are much more conscious of energy use than we are. But I may be wrong. (The Dutch consume 1/4 the energy per capita compared to Canadians.)

This is the hotel I had originally planned to stay at until my friend Olga Ilich, who's from Rotterdam, suggested the one outside the train station. She was probably right. I will be interested to see how this building is regarded twenty+ years from now. 

As everyone who has been to the Netherlands knows, the bicycle path          network is often separated from and more extensive than the vehicular road network!

Walking along a street to the Metro I came across these containers.                          I suspected that they were not for garbage.....

and I was right. I'll be curious to see how long it takes before something similar is installed on Vancouver's streets, taking up parking spaces.

In Rotterdam there is considerable interest in architecture and design. I came across this wide selection of books in The Netherlands Architecture Institute, a cultural institute for architecture and urban development, which comprises a museum, an archive plus library and a venue for lectures and debates. It's across the road from the Depot.

From Wikipedia: Cube houses (Dutch: kubuswoningen) are a set of innovative houses built in Helmond and Rotterdam in the Netherlands, designed by architect Piet Blom and based on the concept of "living as an urban roof": high density housing with sufficient space on the ground level, since its main purpose is to optimise the space inside.

I like herring and remember buying it on street corners in Amsterdam. However, I couldn't find it in Rotterdam so went into a supermarket, only to be told they didn't have any. They recommended the fishmonger up the street. While they didn't have the trays of pickled or schmaltz herring I was seeking, they did fillet this fresh fish for me before my eyes, added some onions and invited me to sit down and enjoy it. 2.5 euros!

Gin can be distilled from any raw material, while genever is always made from grains like rye, malted barley and corn. No wonder genever producers often describe it as a cross between gin and whiskey. I enjoyed a small glass at every opportunity!

If you are in Rotterdam, this Tourist Information centre features a model of the city and very good display of contemporary architecture.

I couldn't help but compare some of Rotterdam's subway stations with                  the Canada Line stations!

Travelling around the city I came across many large murals on the sides of buildings...

I also noticed a lot more solar panel installations compared to here. Wind and solar farms are quite common. The Dutch are also experimenting with solar roads and solar highways where solar panels are installed in sound barriers.

As an architect and planner, my visits to the Netherlands are always inspiring. The Dutch are quite different than any other nation I have experienced. They are creative, open minded, and willing to try out new ideas. As one of my friends from the Netherlands once joked. "If you're not Dutch, you're not much."                        I'm ready to return!