Traditional architecture in Holland

The Dutch streetscape mostly shows non-detached houses, shoulder to shoulder. The fronts are on one line and together form a front which is in a way the wall of a new room: the street. We experience the street as a room on its own. It is very common to westerners that streets have names.

This is very not Japanese. How so? In Japan houses are mostly fully detached. And fronts are rarely contributing to the streetscape. And indeed: streets have no name in Japan.

The top of the front facade is an important feature throughout the ages. The ornaments tell many stories.

This design by the Dutch architect Sjoerd Soeters. Shows the contemporary variety. Modern car wheels refer to the twentieth century. Built in 1991.

It is a good tradition to indicate the "year of birth" of the buliding.

In the program is a request for a bay window.

Baywindows are often found in early 20th century Amsterdam architecture. Note the little balcony on top of the bay window. The opening doors are merely a French balcony.

Very much Amsterdam like is the raised first floor. It serves both luxury and practical purposes.

The luxury part is the nicer view form the window and the majestic entrance to the house. Also the upstairs - downstairs division between masters and servants is part of it.

The practical background is the high watertable in Amsterdam. Basements are made not deeper than this as making a dry basement below the watertable is a very hard job.