R O T T E R D A M
After visiting the capital of the Netherlands last December I finally got the chance to explore of my neighbor country. Thanks to Rotterdam Tourist Info for inviting me to come over to take part in the Architecture Month and the Rooftop Weekend Festival. I had a blast exploring the city for some Rotterdam Photography .
#MartExploresRotterdam
| Impressions |
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| Shooting in Rotterdam|
In contrast to Amsterdam (Travel post click here), the city of Rotterdam appears to be much more modern with various skyscrapers and unique glass facades. So if you are into architecture photography you will love walking around the center of the city. However, I focused more on already existing iconic spots for my first trip to Rotterdam. I only had one full day before moving on to The Hague, a close city on the coast of the Netherlands.
| Rotterdam Photography Spots |
My last travel post on my Seoul trip (Journey post click here) received a good amount of positive feedback on the new structure of the post. That’s why I decided to keep the style and give you a guidance on where to find some of Rotterdam’s most iconic photography spots. Although, I do need to return to complete my own list and explore more myself.
1. Cube Houses
The iconic yellow Cube Houses in Rotterdam designed by Piet Blom consist of 38 rotated individual cubes. They are angled at roughly 55 degrees and connected to each other. Together they symbolize a village within the city of Rotterdam while each of the cubes represents a tree thus creating the feeling of being in a forest while walking through the area.
Time spent here: 1 hour
2. Kunsthal
Completed in 1992, the Kunsthal is a compilation of multiple galleries and areas that allow for exploring several exhibitions and activities. Interestingly, this place has no map unlike any museum because the exhibitions change very frequently and you are encouraged to explore without any guidance.
Time spent here: 2 hours
3. Postkantoor
This place can easily be missed since it is currently not used by the public. However, the building is currently renovated into a new hotel. As part of the Architecture Festival I was allowed to take some pictures of the stunning ceiling. I can’t wait to see the finished complex once it opens again for the public.
Time spent here: 2 hours
4. De Rotterdam
De Rotterdam consists of three interconnected towers offering space for offices, apartments, a hotel, shops, restaurants and more. Located in the old harbor district of Rotterdam, this complex offers stunning glass facades and reflections. I took this lookup photograph in the middle building. Take the escalators up to the top after asking the receptionist.
Time spent here: 0.5 hours
5. Museumpark
Located close to the Kunsthal, the Museumpark is one of Rotterdam’s most popular open outdoor spaces. On of the obvious eye-catchers is a pedestrian bridge which actually doesn’t connect anything. However, I was more fascinated by the paved corridor that creates a stunning depth of field.
Time spent here: 1 hour
6. Luchtsingel
Next on the list is this iconic yellow bridge – the world’s first crowdfunded public infrastructure. It was opened in 2015 as a temporary building but due to its high popularity it will be renovated and will become a permanent part of Rotterdam architecture.
Time spent here: 0.5 hours
7. Maastunnel
This more than 1000 meters long tunnel system consists of several tunnels for cars, pedestrians and bikes. Moreover, the depth of the tunnel creates a mysterious vibe once you hear someone approaching from the distance but can’t quite see him yet. This spot makes for some nice moody-edited images because of the not so bright light sources.
Time spent here: 0.5 hours
| Featured Photograph |
My personal favorite shot of the whole Rotterdam Architecture Photography trip was taken at a very basic office facade. The raw image contained the white background and the black lines. This somehow reminded me of the Tetris field and I started to think about bringing the facade to life by playfully animating it. Although it took me some time to understand the editorial finesse to create a smooth video, it was fun figuring it out. In total, I created 37 images (of which the last one is the featured one here). Together, they combine into a (bad) round of Tetris. Click on the image below to see the full animation on Instagram.
