More of the Netherlands!

Yep, I'm still here! The next installment of photos...be patient as you read this...it skips around tremendously because I don't have any idea how to change the order of the photos once uploaded. I'm sure it's easy, you computer gurus, but half the fun is seeing these in (somewhat) random order!
The above photo was taken from Restaurant 11 - a restaurant in Amsterdam where we had a lecture. The view was unbelievable and my photography skills certainly don't capture it, but hopefully it gives you the sneaking suspicion that we were on the 11th floor. Or maybe the name of the restaurant does??
I was struck by the shutters on some older buildings in Amsterdam....just thought they were fun!

So this development, the big box that you see, and the "island" that I was standing on is called the East Docklands. They were old ship piers that have been developed into a myriad of housing types, parks, etc. I was super impressed by the density and how comfortable I felt. I wish I could find an aerial photograph to illustrate how HUGE these docklands are and the coold development but haven't found a good one yet.
This is the inside of the "big box" on that last image. It's called the Whale. It's an amazing structure with a "viewing" couryard inside. I love that it is a place just for viewing, not sitting in it. I was mesmerized as I gazed from the 9th floor. Julia has a friend, Phillip, who moved in six years ago when it was built - he loves it there.

Another view of the Whale.

The houses above are now my new favorite. Row houses along the water. This is on another pier in the docklands area. The facades are so unique and each have some sort of outdoor space on the water - be it two stories above or just right above water level.

So this graffiti was on our way to Restaurant 11. In fact the entire hallway into building is graffitied. The building is actually totally vacant, except for on the 11th floor, where this new restaurant is. It is a bizarre experience to walk through this tunnel and think that everything is going to be okay once you venture to the 11th floor.

After time in the Eastern Docklands, and before the dinner at Restaurant 11, we went into another old part of Amsterdam to see some architecture that is from the Amsterdam School of Architecture. Michel de Klerk started this "school" using materials in a unique way. Supposedly it is inspired by nature, but it looks like a ton of bricks to me. :) Well, there were some interesting design features but I didn't capture them by photograph.

It is natural for the Amsterdam School designers to throw in a windmill as exterior window treatment. This building was built for factory workers - many of whom had left the farm. de Klerk wanted to make sure they felt comfortable and didn't forget their homeland so a number of features illustrate the "farming lifestyle."
Just your typical Amsterdam canal shot.

By this time, I just wanted my pillow and a corner..........

But I didn't get it. I had to walk over this intimidating bridge done by West8 (Dutch l.arch firm).
A different day...back to Almere to tour the city center area. This group of buildings was unbelievable. I can imagine Todd here all day, and coming home with 1,000 photographs. I did.
It is actually social housing (affordable housing) and is able to accomodate people with various disabilities.

I decided to see if I could make my way down this crazy ramp by bike without touching down. I made it and took a photograph of me doing it to boot. I was careful Todd....and I won (my goal was to defeat the ramp)!

More cool, shwoopyness....

This, on the other hand, is a colorful house but not as durable. I'm not sure it would stand up to the elements as it is yarn and wood. It was displayed in a theatre we ducked into and we all enjoyed it!

My old room in the hostel! Finally, the hostel! I have many more photos to take (sorry Krista), but this is what our old room looked like. Laura and I moved rooms because of the crazy noisy neighbors. I'll get that one up soon!

In Almere they make life-sized models...we could walk on them and everything. I decided to be a ship at sea and look at all the giant people.

This is Almere's city center - designed/planned by Rem Koolhaas. He doesn't like trees. I don't like him.

More housing - the material of the building above is a lot like the material used at CALA - a scandinavian insulated glass material that is super light and makes inside space lighter too. Literally...you lose 5 lbs as you walk in. :)

Another cool design - the architect of this building talked about the design challenge and how he worked with structural engineers in the design phase to get it done.

What a bummer to end with this photo as it's pretty darn ugly...but remember I told you about the garbage sucker? Well, this is how they work - a garbage can connected to a big pipe that runs below sidewalks. All your troublesome junk is sucked into the vortex. I think it's not the best thing, but funny that they even thought of it...can you see someone pitching it in a boardroom?!?

Well, to bed I go. Another crazy day tomorrow. Down to Bijlmermeer - one architect scrunched his nose when he heard we were going there....he said, "Well, you guys have your Pruitt Igo, we have our Bijlmermeer. It was built when everyone was a communist." So, with that, I wait in giddy anticipation!

Love to you all.