Pagan Idol

We happened upon yet another religious monument en route to the Netherlands Architecture Institute. No really. This is a sculpture by Dutch artist Has van Bentem. He is a trained ceramicist but is known to work in glass as well. According to Bentem's website (and to my surprise) GUARD is composed of celadon ceramic. The sculpture is 3 meters tall and mounts a rock overlooking a skatepark in Rotterdam. The website further informs that GUARD is meant to be viewed as a fusion between ancient and futuristic ideas of a protective saint warrior.

I can vouch for this first hand. I snapped a photo of the piece and sent it to my younger brother with the e-mail subject "Pagan Idol." Artist's instincts at work! Admittedly, my brother happens to have an almost religious reverence for Japanese action figures so it wasn't much of a stretch. I initially thought it was a transformer but alas I was mistaken. The piece is actually inspired by an anime series and toy series known as Gundam. Get it right.

If you need to make a stop on your pilgrimage you can find it at the skatepark at Westblaak, Rotterdam. It might be easier to make a pilgrimage to Bentem's website at http://www.hansvanbentem.nl/

Moving Sculpture in Schouwburgplein, Rotterdam

This video is of a moving sculpture attached to one of the municipal buildings surrounding the main sity center square, Schouwburgplein, near the train station. The square was designed my West 8 and contains large moving lights that relate to the other sculpture at the entrance.

Elizabeth Conte

Erasmus Bridge

The Erasmus Bridge is located in the heart of Rotterdam. It connects the northern and southern halves of the city. It was designed by Ben van Berkel, who is a part of UN Studio and was completed in 1996. The bridge is 808 meters long with one side of the bridge having a 139 meter-high pylon. Due to this asymmetrical shape, the bridge has earned the name "The Swan." The northern part of the bridge is not high enough for all ships to pass through, so the southern part of the bridge has an 89 meter-long bascule bridge. This bascule bridge holds the record for largest panel of its type in the world, and largest and heaviest bascule in West Europe. This bridge is a great sight to see while visiting Rotterdam, and you won't miss it with it's great height towering over the city.

Allison Spiker

Minnaert Building : University center De Uithof : Utrecht

Completion : 1997
Program : 9.000 SM
Cost : 10.000.000 Euro

Completed in 1997, the Minnaert Building (MAP) was designed by Neutelings Riedijk Architecten. They were challenged to craft a building that "must be realized within ecological planning constraints - to be specific, a compact built form, ecologically sound materials, natural ventilation, heat recovery, high-frequency lighting, water-saving systems and an environment-friendly restaurant."

One of the visible solutions to these requirements is the use of water collected to cool off the building. Rainwater collected on the roof is collected in the pool in the main hall. The water mass self-regulates the building temperature without the need for additional heating systems; heating is required for only the first day after winter break to resume the internal heating + cooling cycle.

From Utrecht Central Station, take Bus 11 towards Uithof/WKZ. Exit the bus at the "Botanical Gardens" Stop, just after you pass the striking Minneart Building to your left. Use your time on Campus to explore some of the other great contemporary architecture, such as the Campus Library and the Edutorium.

Directions courtesy of Galinksy

Cafe de Unie

The Cafe de Unie was design by the Dutch architect Jacobus Oud and constructed in Rotterdam in 1925. The building was bombed during WWII. The building pictured is a 1986 reconstruction of the original facade. Jacobus Oud was a member of the Dutch artistic movement De Stijl. Other prominent members include architect Gerrit Rietveld and painter Piet Mondrian. They advocated a new utopian ideal expressed with pure form and color. As in paintings by Mondrian and this facade by Oud, they simplified compositions into orthagonal arrangements, using only primary colors and white and black. Their work was related to the broader modernist movement of the time, simplifying architecture to its purest elements and stripping it of all decoration.

Will Wingfield

Schouwburgplein

Schouwburgplein is a square located in the center of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. This square was designed by West 8, a famous landscape architecture group. It is surrounded by many shops and buildings such as the City Theatre and the City Concert Hall. This square is a large open space which contrasts with the rest of the city. The square was planned as an interactive public space. It is raised up from the street level, giving it the feeling of a stage. The public has control of the four large red hydraulic lamp posts, as they are able to move them about to display different variations of light.
The square is made up of many different materials, depending on the expected use. One side of the square is a poured epoxy floor containing silver leaves, while the other side has a long row of wooden benches and rubber and timber decking on the ground. The square also has three 15 meter high ventilation towers that also serve as a digital clock at night. These towers are lit up at night giving the square another variation of light. The center of the square is made up of perforated metal panels and a wooden play area. At night, the metal panels are lit up from below with black, green, and whitefluorescent tubes. There are also lights under the edge of the raised deck, which gives it a hovering feeling.

Allison Spiker