Unique on the Outside Only...

I used to love looking at Dutch row houses in the newly built neighborhoods... but then I moved to the other side of town where the houses weren't much to look at.

and although some of the photos I have posted on this blog have been unique on the outside... almost all of the Dutch row houses, two under one roof houses, and even free standing houses all have about the same general floor plan that it is utterly boring.

The Dutch can be some one narrow minded - and it reflects in the "plattegrond" - in other words, house layout.

My friend started studying architecture at the Technical University here in Eindhoven. I have been eager to hear what kind of projects she gets to work on. It really seems like a very fun study. If I go back to school in the future, I would definitely like to study architecture - probably at a community college in the U.S. though - as my Dutch language skills suck.

Anyway, she has said that the Dutch government sets certain standards of how wide and deep a house can be and architects tend to just go with the minimum requirements... and that is why we went up with the same old boring layout...

Anyway, I remember seeing one of those "I'm a Mormon" video messages on Youtube about a lady who went back to school, got her degree and now redesigns homes. And that is something I think I would love to do. Bev Gosling (This lady is so cool, she's designed houses, subdivisions and more... stuff I only dream about).

I am always, getting out my block-graph paper and redesigning row houses. I have done it for years. I am very good at coming up with alternative ways to use the space given in this row homes.

For example, our home is 5.8 meters wide by 8.4 meters deep... 3 levels - and when we bought it we completely gutted it out and have made it our own. We tore out some walls, put in new ones - and have made this home fantastic. But just the other day, I was thinking about how one could make this home even more special - just by moving the stairs over there, opening up the ceiling and giving the room a vaulted space up above... could really improve the space and overall feel of the room...

ahh, I was saying to my husband, I really wish I had some money to play around with, you know, buy a house, completely redesign it and then sell it on or rent it on. That would be great.

He said, well, why don't you get a degree, go work for someone else and then you can do that all you want, with someone elses money? Yeah, that would be great.

But in the meantime, I think I will start throwing some of my redesigns up on this blog for a record keeping!

Just Have To...

Just have to and gotta link you to this:

http://weburbanist.com/2008/09/09/70-amazing-houses-from-around-the-world/

I especially love the cliff-house? But how do they drive up to it?

Cube Houses in Rotterdam

See also Cube Houses in Helmond post from July 15 2008.

So here we have a few photos from the "Kubuswoningen" in Rotterdam. It is really hard to choose just 3 photos. There were many fun pictures taken - but I only have so much space to show pictures. So - do a search on Internet and you can find much more interesting ones too - especially if you go to Trekearth.com. I'm not really a great photographer though - just really like art and architecture and I think it needs to be showed off - especially the Dutch architecture!

The last photo there of course, is the one inside photo I capture for you. It was the very top room - "zolder" and it was the coziest little room. Again, to get an idea what you are looking at - see the linklist and you can find more information about this home.

Inside was interesting and small. But not as small as I thought it would be. It was roomy in some areas and clausterphobic in other areas. But it would be a fun space to live in - if you are single or just two of you. It's not really a space for kids - steep stairway and such. We saw two of them for sale - I think we read that the going price is just a bit higher than other apartments in the area. The size is comparable to a small apartment. I really did like it though - I wouldn't mind living in one if I wasn't a busy mom - that and I don't really like living in crowded places - and Rotterdam is too crowded for me. Too bad.

Upside Down House

This is a link to a newly built house in Germany actually. I thought it was cool so I thought I'd post it here. My Dad sent me the link and I'm actually quite fond that he's remembered that i do like modern architecture - even stuff that's totally out there and just for amusement sometimes :-) Thanks Daddio.

http://rss.news.yahoo.com/imgrss/events/lf/091108upsidedownhous

Villas

Location: Grasrijk, Meerhoven, Eindhoven

These are what they call "villas" here in Eindhoven. They are big and modern and freestanding - not connect with the neighbors. They are mini-villas really. But they are big compared to other homes in the neighborhood - but not compared to a real villa of course. This is just a view of a row of them from the back. Later I shall post individual ones from the front. I really like these ones because the other "villas" in the neighborhood are like all the same color in a row - but these ones are all a bit different. One of my most favorites streets in Grasrijk.

Newly built in Grasrijk

Location: Grasrijk, Meerhoven, Eindhoven

I don't have much to say about these - they are newly built - as you can see from the dirt and weeded field in front of them. Soon that field will be filled with new modern homes, too. All I can really say is that I like them. I like that they use the two color brick schemes and I just like them. Some are bigger that others and that's nice because it helps break up the "skyline" and make it not so static and boring. And I like that the window frames are a nice warm wood color and the windows are all different shapes - some longer and skinny and lying horizontal and others tall and placed just at the edge of the house.

Split Leveled Row Homes

Location: Veldhoven

In this one particular part of Veldhoven - well all over Veldhoven actually - whenever there is a new home or homes being built - they are all very modern. I haven't seen any 1930's designs... but I could be wrong. Anyways, in this one part of Veldhoven - I think it's called the Polders - or just a bit north of there - near Waterwijk - they built these split level row homes. Or maybe they call them geschakkled homes - town homes to the English speakers. Anyways, they are unique because they change from color to color depending on the level - ground level, 1st, 2nd, etc. But they are boring because they are virtually all the same. But to make it interesting, these homes aren't just in a straight row - they are built on a curve. Meaning the whole row of homes curves along the street. Okay, one is also turned on it's side - see corner house below. These also have the garage half under ground - which we saw in the previous Bungalow post. These used to be some of my favorites but now after having seen so many other modern designs - they've dropped down the list for me. I still like them though - I think they look better in person - up close - if you can walk up to them and look inside peoples' windows thats always better - annoying for the people living there - but you get a better idea at the design features inside. Anyways, without further adieu - here are two more photos: