Netherlands Modern Architecture part II

Our trip to the Netherlands continues  – glad to see that other collaborators on this blog also had Dutch posts recently!!!  So we continue in Rotterdam today, with a trio of landmarks in one photo (click on it to enlarge and see a bit more detail). First on the right we see Montevideo!!!

Yes, you are reading correctly, Montevideo
(hence the huge M on top)!!! It is called
that, even though Uruguay is far away from here. In the old days, lots
of warehouses were situated here, one of them called Montevideo, as the
trade with South America was important. Designed by Francine Houben of Mecanoo Architecten,
it is the 3rd tallest skyscraper and tallest residential tower of
Rotterdam: The building is 140m/458f (with the M on top the height is
even 152m/500f), has 43 stories and was completed in 2005. The M isn’t
included in the official height, since it’s not part of the
architectural design, it was added later. If it were to be counted, it
would make it the tallest building of The Netherlands.

If you enlarge the picture, you can barely see on the very far right, a
small building with a greenish tower on top, right behind Montevideo.
That used to be the headquarters of the Holland-America Line. Since
1993, this building is occupied by Hotel New York and is one of the biggest attractions of the city as it is one of the few old buildings left within Rotterdam.

On to the building on the left. Much more architecturally interesting than Montevideo, this is the Toren op Zuid (Tower on South). Designed by Renzo Piano,
built for KPN, the Dutch Telecommunications Company, it was named so
because it is situated on the south bank of the river Maas. It has 23
floors and it is 96m high. Construction was completed in 2000. The
cantilevered effect (purely aesthetical) is fascinating, it seems as if
the building is actually supported by that pillar. Actually, that side
of the building can be transofrmed into a huge screen, the biggest in
Europe at 80X40m. You can see it playing here if you enlarge the photo.

On the far left, the famous Erasmus Bridge. It is a cable stayed  bridge across the river Maas, designed by Ben Van Berkel
and built in 1996. The 808 metre long bridge has a 139 metre-high
asymmetrical pylon, earning the bridge its nickname of "The Swan". he
southern span of the bridge has a 89 metre long bascule bridge for
ships that cannot pass under the bridge. The bascule bridge is the
largest and heaviest in West Europe and has the largest panel of its
type in the world. Shortly after the bridge opened to traffic in
October 1996, it was discovered that it would swing under particularly
strong wind conditions. To reduce the swing, stronger shock dampeners
were installed.

Across the street from the Golden Tulip Hotel near the Erasmus Bridge,
a twin tower residential building, 102m high, it was completed in 2000.
34 floors, it has a garage at the base. I love the green lights of the
garage, it offsets the anthracite color of the buildings so nicely. The
architect is Wiel Arets.
The
blocks house 210 high-quality apartments of which 51 are fully or
semi-furnished serviced apartments. The costs for the apartments per
night are comparable to hotel accommodation. However, instead of 30 m2
of impersonal space, the occupants have an average of 120 m2 of living
space at their disposal. And of course a view to the river…now let me
see, where does one find which companies have personnel living here?

Woontorens Boompjes: a triplet of towers, build in 1989. Each has a name of its own, tribute
to the Dutch ships (Clipper, Schoenen & Galjoen are all types of
ship) sailing the world in the era of their trade empire. Designed by
Klunder Architecten, they are situated near the Maas river. I love the
effect of the different colored lighting.

More Netherlands in my next post!!! Have a great week!