Bollard Beauties…

Continuing with an Arty theme, Napier’s wide city centre shopping streets do include limited car access, so bollards have been placed in strategic places to keep assess to where it should be and to avoid run-in’s with pedestrians. On top of these tall, dark green bollards, little Art Deco style motifs have also been placed… again,  like the Deco seating decorations of yesterday’s post these have been designed and submitted by the local community.

Some of them look alike at first glance, but don’t be fooled, they are all unique.

I love the idea that little splashes of colour can be added to an urban landscape to make life more beautiful, uplifting and  interesting… and the fact that these fit in so beautifully with Napier’s Art Deco style… bonus!

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Your Challenge Today: Fit a Five-Sided Window into an External Corner…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Another photo from my last summer’s wanderings. I think this may have been taken in the Anna Paulownastraat but can’t be quite 100% certain.

One thing I do know is that I adore the idea that someone had the brilliance to squeeze in as many quirky bits and pieces as possible, even the brick arches above the little balconies are different to each other, as are the balcony rails.

The entrance door at the bottom is beautiful in that it’s so fitting for this building. I love the fact that two minuscule street-side balconies have been fitted in, in the first place, a far lesser architect might have just added plain windows to match the other side.

Of course without doubt, the pièce de résistance of this building has to be this turret like window that eases itself out over the ground floor  shop and the street… my opinion? every house should have one!

This window matches the quirky decorative style of the rest of the building and is  to my eye, a marvel of engineering as well.

Now here’s a challenge: You sit down and try and draw a five-sided window (or might it even be six sides?) that blends seamlessly into the corner of a building?  Think you’d have a hope?  Now I can admit to having a probably “better than average” creative streak, but this would have had me eating the paper in despair of getting it all to join up and work out.

One thought does occur to me though: Doesn’t this vaguely remind you of those external lifts with the glass walls that you see going up and down new buildings sometimes?  I suspect some creative idea  theft  “borrowing” may have been going on somehow.

Yes I know, they probably call that “sources that sparked new and imaginative creative output” in the jargon filled meeting room terminology that’s so annoying  these days.

The pleasing view of this amazing building remains… the attention to detail is stunning.

And to that, this detail fanatic can only give her biggest stamp of approval.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Finding Beauty,or in this case a little beast, right on your doorstep….

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Right up until the very darkest and coldest days of winter, I have been taking the tram to work and doing a lot of walking in my neighbourhood and surrounding ones as I try and increase my exercise and fitness.

At the moment I’m back to taking the car ( -6 C in the mornings is just too much for my asthma at the moment) but I’m definitely looking forward to warmer days and to continuing my walks.

Dutch houses in the cities  mostly have their front doors leading directly off the footpath, so it’s easy to spot some of the decorative doors, tiles, door-knockers and letterboxes.

Of course if you look at my blog you will see that I like photos, LOTS of photos, so it’s no surpirse that I have been carrying my camera around during my walks…

….just in case I see a photographic gem.

This is how I chanced across this wonderful froggie doorknob, enchanting, tacktile, whimsical and functional all in one !

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Other doorways are works of art in themselves… styles range from Art Deco, to Art Nouveau to everything before and after…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

These older houses on the Laan van Meerdervoort ( the longest street in The Hague) are about 1/3rd wider than a normal doorway would be… for wide skirts in days gone by? Who knows?

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

And a few more…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

The funny thing about this one is that the windows are way above head height…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Aggggh… wrought iron… love it!

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)