évasion
fly away
ّ
لنحـلــق
visite guidée I guided tour I
زيـارة برفقة دليـل
1
3
2
Square, is currently under renovations by Ramon
Esteve (opening in 2016). Other project led this time
1,2. Le Conservatorium a été
restauré par l’architecte italien
Piero Lissoni pour devenir l’un
des hôtels les plus chic de la
ville. I The Conservatorium
has been restored by Italian
architect Piero Lissoni and has
become one of the most chic
hotels in the city. I
خضع الكُونْسرِفَاتْوريوم لعملية
ْ
ترميم عىل يدي املهندس
املعامري اإليطايل بيريو ليسوين
جعلت منه أحد الفنادق األكرث
I .أنــاقة يف املديــنة
3. Nemo, musée des Sciences
a été conçu par l’architecte
Renzo Piano en 1997. I Nemo,
Museum of Sciences has been
designed by architect Renzo
Piano in 1997. I
"نيمو"، متحف العلوم الذي
صممه املهندس املعامري رينزو
I 1997 بيانو يف عـام
4. &Samhound, le restaurant
deux fois étoilé I &Samhound,
the 2-star restaurant. I
& سامهوند، املطعم الحائز عىل
I .نجمتيـــن
5. La cantine bohème
Ij-Kantine sur le site des
anciens chantiers navals.
I The bohemian canteen
Ij-Kantine on the site of former
shipyards. I
اآلي جي ـ كانتني، البوهيمي
ّ ِ ِ ُ
الذي يحتل موقع أحواض بناء
I .السفن القدمية
La Gazelle 59 I
120
New armada
Despite its vast places surrounded by red brick
palaces topped with bell turrets, the historical centre
is a handkerchief. Without even knowing it, we go
from the Plantage middle class zone to the formerly
working-class neighbourhoods of the Jordaan and
9-Straatjes (the 9-Streets). The latters became
bohemian headquarters with their ravishing alleys
where one can find many trendy boutiques. In this
classified centre, it is impossible to build, therefore
we rehabilitate. The museums area has recently
been given a facelift : the Van Gogh Museum just
reopened, the Stedelijk Museum of Art and Design
got a new wing signed Benthem Crouwel. The Rijks
has also been entirely reorganised by Jean-Michel
Wilmotte. Besides, seven historical and incredibly
luxurious residences have been undertaken by
Marriott whereas the Kras hotel, located on the Dam
by the Lloyd Hotel : transform the lockmasters
houses installed on the canals into twenty-seven
One Room decorated by artists. « In thirty years, we
have invested millions of euros in thirty monuments,
museums included. As if we were arming a cultural
fleet... Many states don’t have this chance. Here, we
don’t have a Big Ben but canals that are worth a
monument ! », says Carolien Gehrels, Cultural
Deputy. The goal : turn Amsterdam into the European
business and cultural centre. Moreover it summons
Spinoza, born in Amsterdam, to explain the city’s
spirit of tolerance : « We have preserved this free
thought, this interest for all cultures, by organizing
strong relationships with other European
museums. » Next step ? « We invest today 250
million euros in universities, with cooperation plans.
All Amsterdam speaks English and we want to
attract young people. Philips, IBM, Heineken... create
nurseries where jobs are mixed. The top-ten of DJ’s
and “game developers” lives here, attracted by the
world’s best Wi-Fi. On the top of that, they call the
city Apsterdam, “Ap” for « Apple... »
The art of accommodating the
fallow lands
Founder of Arcam, independant architecture and
urbanism organization, Maarten Kloos knows each
brick of his town. « When we think about Amsterdam,
we think old city. The current politics are trying to
install a marketing image of metropolis, with about
ten centres which include municipalities like
Haarlem. They also create artificial extensions, like
Ijburg. » Its configuration is also regularly modified.
In 1876, boats start taking the road west instead of
east. As if the city had turned on itself. We enjoy this
diversity by visiting, at 5km from the centre, the
green pastures of Zuidas. Business and residential
(for young millionnaires..), the neighbourhood has
glass towers and cranes in the middle of breathing