He points to the work of local designer Pepe Heykoop, whose futuristic furniture includes armchairs found on the street that are then covered with leftover leather.
It s young creative types like Heykoop who are also helping to pioneer the cityfringes. His studio is located in North Amsterdam, a large industrial neighborhood across the IJ river from Ccntraal Station that feels a bit like Williamsburg, Brooklyn, did in the late 1980s. Developing this still raw district, along with the Eastern Docklands, has been key to moving the city back to the water.
In terms of architecture, Amsterdam has recently entered yet another one of its golden ages, the seeds for which were planted about 30 years ago. In the ’s, forward – thinking urban planners began to spearhead a gradual return to the waterfront. Iconic buildings, such as the Nemo science center by Renzo Piano, have been popping up along the IJ riveredge over the last decade. The most striking structure is the Eye Film Institute, which opened in April. Designed by the Austrian firm Delugan Meissl, it perches over the water like a futuristic white butterfly. The Eye has managed to convince even the most skeptical local to accept the fact that North Amsterdam is now officially a hot new part of the city.
is harvesting right now,”says Maarten Kloos, director of ARCAM, Amsterdamcenter for architecture, whose own curvaceous structure overlooks the harbor. there are some serious economic problems for architects and developers, we are now seeing the results of the wealth of the city before the financial crisis.”
There may be an exciting mix of tastcmakcrs shaking up the fringes, but Amsterdam fairytale center continually beckons. Some of the citymost avant-garde talents, such as the young fashion designer Iris van Hcrpcn, still prefer to work in the old part of the city. Van Herpen, who made her mark on the international fashion scene with her otherworldly, sculptural gowns, which have been worn by Bjork and Lady Gaga, likes to stroll along the harbor, where her new atelier is located; the cityhistoric architecture inspires her, she says, as docs the feeling that everything, from vice to virtue, is out in the open for all to sec. is transparent,”she says. exist all over the world, but here itnot hidden. The same goes for other things, like politics. Itnice to have that around you.”
The red – light district, De Wallen, in fact, is becoming a popular draw for a new generation, as the Dutch government is helping to upgrade the area rather than eradicate it. Rob Wagcmans, the founder of the hip design firm Concrete, chose to move the companyheadquarters to the heart of the area. until now the red – light district has been very lowbrow,”says Wagemans. city wants to mix in some high-end culture to attract a more interesting crowd.”
A sexy, high – low mix is already starting to happen with the recent openings of two trendy restaurants in De Wallen: Restaurant Anna, a spare, handsome space, and Restaurant Lastage, a more formal dining room overseen by chef Rogicr van Dam that has earned a Mi – chelin star. Concretenext project is a striptease club geared toward, Wagemans says, a star traveler, with cool interiors and performance thaterotic and theatrical.”
Still, Wagemans warns that the changes in the red – light district shouldnbe too drastic. is still sex, drugs, and rock ’roll, and we shouldnlose that,”he says. if you never actually engage in any of it, the fact that ithere creates freedom. It gives you the feeling that everything is possible.”
Do you like flowers? That I personally just love, they reflect the most wonderful thing in this world. If you think that this is not the case, look at the wonderful flowers photos and you’ll understand what I mean. Of course, much depends on the photographer, but live they areeven better.
