For one, the train
station was easy to navigate and efficient for pedestrians, with a landscaped
park area cutting through the center of the lower ground level. Some stations (like Delft) you have to weave
your way in and out of traffic, tramlines, and other cloying citizens. This was one that had been clearly thought
out. I began by making my way to the
north of the station, around the World Trade Center and other tall office
buildings. Not far was a project
designed by UNStudio for La Defense.
From the exterior, the building is constructed with traditional steel
material, rather unassuming and slightly bland.
However, the building splits to form a core exterior-interior space from
which all the entrances are located.
Here, the material shifts to a thrilling and colorful custom-made
dichroic foil without any metal so it won't corrode - multilayered polymeric
film with a polyester surface that changes color depending on the angle of
viewing and the way the sun hits it. Close up it's got a texture of small
concave bumps. Some areas of the façade
are reflective, others partially reflective, others translucent. I was like a kid in an optical candy shop. Another full-circle moment happened here,
since this project for La Defense in Almere was featured on the cover of one of
the first ever architecture books I bought back in my early years of
architecture school. I have come a long
way.
After seeing that
project, I went back in the direction of the station and took a detour to the
Museum de Paviljoens. The building was
designed for a temporary installation, but it worked so well that they've just
been adding and subtracting from it each time they have a new exhibit. Unfortunately, that's what they were doing
when I tried to visit! Even though the
museum door was locked, however, someone let me in and I explained to them that
I was an architect from New York, just wanting to look around. They were on their lunch break, but she still
got a colleague who spoke better English and was super helpful and nice. She gave me a lot of background information,
and some pointers on where to go in Almere.
It's too bad because the new exhibit - which is all about Dutch Identity
(in art specifically after the 1960s) - is slated to open on Friday! She said if I had any questions or needed any
assistance on my research that I should feel free to email and they would be
more than happy to provide any help.
That's a good thing, and potentially something I may take advantage of
once I dig into my publication.
Which I got thinking
about on the train rides. I have to
write a book within a few months after I return. That's going to take a significant amount of
my time, not to mention trying to figure out the employment situation. Perhaps it's better this way - while I figure
that out, I'll have something important to do in the meanwhile instead of going
numb in the skull.
After my visit to the
museum, I headed into the city center which was not far at all. It's a wonderful and wacky center, dominated
by the Citadel (retail below, housing above), which makes use of overhead
bridges. There's also the well-designed
Biblioteek, public library. There is a
SANAA building (Japanese architects), and housing by Rene van Zuuk, Claus en
Kaan, et. al. I also visited the Almere
architecture center called cASla. I have
to remember to do more research on Almere Oosterworld. Anyway, got some good info there, and
continued along the water to some more housing.
On my walk, it really struck me how powerful the Dutch polder landscape
is and all of the ecosystems that coexist here in Almere with the city life. They work now in tangent quite well, it
seems. It's a multisensory experience -
especially with the auditory. Sounds of
different bird species, buzzing of insects, even some frogs. It was the closest thing to Upstate New York
that I've experienced since I've been away, however in a totally different
context.
I visited a block of
experimental houses designed around a decade ago. It was a quiet area right in the thickets of
the landscape, and it was hard for me to tell if there were people still living
in these houses. It was pretty clear
that there were signs of life, but they seemed dated. Especially the cars. It was a little strange, but they were pretty
cool buildings. After this I walked back
the way I came and stopped for a lounge on the water. I had some food and did some shopping before
I went back to the station to go back to Den Haag. Made some spontaneous purchases that I'm
happy with. The train ride back was
pretty crowded due to it going through Amsterdam Zuid, Leiden, and Schiphol. Speaking of Schiphol, that's where I'm headed
early tomorrow morning. I already bought
my train ticket to save time, but hopefully the trams are running on schedule
so I can catch the 6:23 train. Yes, in
the morning. It's going to be a long
day...
Anyway,
Almere was a perfect way to end my stay in Holland, primarily because instead
of looking back on a stagnant past, it represents the direction of the
future. Away we go!
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