ARCHITECTURE
5
URBAN GEMS
Words: Erik Boker For example, along the IJ river, the lifeblood of the city and its grandest waterfront, there are some outstanding, modern architectural treats not far from each other. However, the canal houses, noteworthy for their mixture of ornate details, elegance and architectural quirkiness, make the city’s character one of the most unique in the world. Exciting, elegant, sleek, historic, ultramodern or traditional, there is no shortage of luxurious feasts for the senses. Here we highlight a few significant examples – some subtle, some unmistakable, some off the beaten path, some new and some dating back to the 1600s. The common thread through all of them is unique elegance and craftsmanship, highlighting the architectural originality of this diverse city. 110
photo the rijksmuseum: john lewis marshall
Although the global image of the city may be one of old historic buildings and small alleyways interlaced with water, the urban landscape of Amsterdam is much richer, with a wide variety of architectural gems and surprises.