Police Station

At the Open Monuments Day last September we visited the former Police Station in our village Almere Haven.  It is built in 1985 by the now world famous Dutch architect "Rem Koolhaas" This was his first project and  I think he is not so proud of it as he never mentiones it in publications.

The balloons were only placed for the Open Monuments Day.

It is now in use for creative outings as this one. In the background you see the patio in the heart of the building.

This was a former cell with some appropiate art.

Linking to "Our World Tuesday"

Open Monuments Weekend

The last monument we visited was this canal house dating from the 17th century. In 1891, a stepped gable in a Renaissance Revival style was added and it was converted into a community centre for the Jesuits of the adjacent De Krijtberg  church.

The room on the first floor has beautiful panelling, ceiling paintings, pilasters and decorated corbels.

The "Boekman Foundation", a centre for art, culture and policy, has been housed here since 1977. There was a big library too.

The narrow stairway.

And the long hallway.

From the garden you had a view upstairs of the room we just had visited.

Well this was the end of the Open Monuments Weekend, hope you enjoyed it,  I see you in a few days again, I have a little blogpause.

Open Monuments Weekend

The next monument we visited in Amsterdam is this "Arti et Amicitiae" building, founded in 1839 as artists society. The name means "Art and Friendships".

Downstairs is a big cafe with a bar.

The stairs to the first floor had an interesting tapestry.

And also a magnificent  decorated staircase window.

With a big painting.

Upstairs are exhibition rooms.

With modern art.

And a photo exibition room.

Through the open window you had a nice view over the Rokin.

Open Monuments Weekend

When walking a small alley in Amsterdam we heard some music coming from what happened to be the smallest theatre of Amsterdam. 

He was singing the famous French chanson "Ma-France" by Jean Ferrat. It was beautiful and the public sang along in Dutch "Langs het tuinpad van mijn vader".

The very small bar in the back of the theatre.

At 'sccollections" of hubby you can read more about the history of the theatre.
Linking to "Our World Tuesday"

Open Monuments weekend

This building in Amsterdam has always intrigued me how it would look inside. This weekend it opened it's doors for the Open Monuments weekend.

Built in 1916 by architect Kuipers, the Industria building at Dam square has four sober brick facades, each differing substantially from each other.

The entrance hall was impressive with marble pilars.

The building is used by rich business people to dine and have meetings the so called "Grote Club", ( ("Big Club")

And recreate in leather armchairs, I can imagine men with sigars sitting here.

Nice details.

The staircase.

It was difficult to get a good overview of the rooms as there were to many people around for the visit.
More photo's at "sccollections"

Church Tower

A view from the Church tower in Almere Haven. It is open Monuments weekend and I climbed the tower with nodding knees. I made it until the concrete steps changed into a wooden ladder, so I didn't see the church bell's player.

I am not a hero on heights but I took a look down.

The tower.

Open Monuments Days

Once a year in September we have the "Open Monuments Days" in our country. You can pay a visit to buildings that mostly ar not open for public or visitors. We visited the RAS Synagoge/Sjoel, named after chief rabbi Rav Aaron Schuster in Amsterdam. The building dates from 1928 and the architect Elte was inspired by Dutch architect Dudok and American Frank Lloyd Wright.

The interior has Art Deco elements.

With 7 stained glass windows which symbolize the 7 days of the of creation.

Beautiful decorated pillars.

Against the eastwall of the Synagoge is the cupboard containing the five parchment Thora scrolls.

At the left above  the women's gallery.

The entrance seen from the other side with certainly Frank Lloyd Wright influences.
Linking to "Our World Tuesday"

Open Monuments Day

At Open Monuments Day we visited a special residential building in our home city Almere. This was an experimental area "the Fantasy" where people in 1982 were allowed to built their own house without all the regulations.

It was a bit difficult to make a complete photo as it was situated all in the green garden.

The living room upstairs.

With a magnificent view at the skyline of Almere City and the Weerwater.

There was a "Tiny House"aside of the main house where guest could stay

Linking to "Our World Tuesday"

Temple

After the Royal interval yesterday, I continue with the Open Monuments Day. This flying-saucer-like building was built in 1926 as a theosophical temple. Theosophy is a worldview that seeks to combine religion philosophy and science. The fan-shaped building with a green copper roof was constructed with reinforced concrete and steel.

Daylight comes in through the narrow tail steel-framed windows encased in concrete posts in the semi-circular temple hall.

 The building was used as a cinema named Cinetol. Since 1985, the temple hall has housed a branch of the Public Library of Amsterdam.

The study areas.

The architect L.C. van der Vlugt was an adept of  functionalist architecture, in Holland known as "Nieuwe Bouwen".