Until the middle of the nineteenth century, Rotterdam was a modest town in the shadow of Dordrecht, Delft and Schiedam. The dam in the river Rotte, from which the city took its name was built around 1270. The railway links with Amsterdam, Utrecht and Antwerp and the opening of Nieuwe Waterweg shipping canal in 1872 were crucial to Rotterdam’s development into a major port city. Thousands of immigrants from the rural hinterland were drawn to the city by the prospect of work.
Nazi bombing during the early stages of the second World War devastated the city. When the rubble was cleared city architects began a reconstruction plan based around traffic, green spaces and high rise housing. In the 1980’s whilst a similar thing was happening in the East London docklands, Rotterdam transformed obsolete industrial and dockland areas into modern residential districts, and the centre of the city shifted towards the banks of the river.
I spent 5 days photographing the Dutch city last year, here are a few of my favourite images:
Wijnhaven, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Detail of Architecture, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Cube Houses – ‘Blaakse Bos’, Oudehaven, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Cube Houses – ‘Blaakse Bos’, Oudehaven, Rotterdam, Netherlands
The Red Apple, Wijnhaven, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Erasmus Bridge, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Willems Bridge & Nieuwe Maas River, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Erasmus Bridge and ‘De Rotterdam’, Wilhelminakade, Rotterdam, Netherlands
The Red Apple, Wijnhaven ,Rotterdam, Netherlands
Exterior of Markthal, Westnieuwland, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Interior of Markthal, Westnieuwland, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Cube Houses – ‘Blaakse Bos’, Oudehaven, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Erasmus Bridge and ‘De Rotterdam’, Wilhelminakade, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Erasmus Bridge, Wilhelminakade, Rotterdam, Netherlands
‘De Rotterdam’, Wilhelminakade, Rotterdam, Netherlands
‘De Rotterdam’, Wilhelminakade, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Erasmus Bridge, Wilhelminakade, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Erasmus Bridge, Wilhelminakade, Rotterdam, Netherlands
The Luxor Theatre, Kop van Zuid, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Exterior of Pauluskerk, Kruisplein, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Exterior detail of Calypso Building, Kruisplein, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Exterior of Rotterdam Central Station & Delftse Poort, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Exterior of W200 Building, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Exterior of Rotterdam Central Station at dusk, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Exterior of Delftse Poort at night, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Exterior of Rotterdam Central Station at night, Rotterdam, Netherlands
The White House & Old Harbour at dawn, Wijnhaven, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Wijnhaven, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Rotterdam Centraal Station, Rotterdam, Netherlands
BEN PIPE PHOTOGRAPHY 
That was interesting to read and look at, although just on my phone. Gmail had sent it into a “social ” folder that I had never looked in before and just noticed. Rotterdam looks an attractive and architecturally most interesting city to visit. Lots of most attractive images here that I really like. Weren’t you tempted to pick one to frame for the flat? Good to read some of its history too? M
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Thanks mum, yes its well worth a visit..
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