Digital macro

The Canon Ixus camera's are good value for their price but above all their digital macro function is marvellous. It might not have the correct proportions as you would get with an expensive macro lens but the result is still great.   

Urban water power

The Germans like practical and energysaving houses. When will we finally change our attitudes towards sustainability in The Netherlands? Local energy projects can be found in every ordinary town in Germany, like this example in Kempten near the Austrian border. A former factory land on 2 sides of the river is redeveloped as a residential and recreational area including a beautiful designed waterpower plant.

Bio Solar haus germany

Since 1994 over 300 houses are built according the bio solar concept in Europe. At the place of origin they continue testing materials and techniques. If you fancy a bio solar house you can trial-live here

coffee time

Many new cafes opened in the Zeeheldenkwartier, one of the first was Appeltje Eitje.

City balcony

design & photos by KCAP |  www.kcap.eu

This week my tour along all the provincies brought me in Groningen. I was surprised by the public space in the city: beautiful pavements and a cyclist's paradise. Terribly impressed by the Stadsbalkon (‘city balcony’) which offers a slightly raised, easy and almost traffic free entrance to the innercity. Beneath it there is a storage for about 4.500 bikes! This facility really suites a cyclists with an underground thoroughfare, short routing, signage for open parking slots, open air, light and safe.

this is style

I love the colour, the design, the style! I took these photo's at the international VW weekend; regretting that Concert @sea was cancelled.

hollandse luchten

Beautiful sky, isn't it? A weekend at Brouwersdam without wind but with S.U.P. 'n.

Gone with the wind

 

With Diesel, our VW T3 camper and the wind directions we drove to the northwestern part of the Netherlands. A long weekend with sun & wind, a perfect combination. At least 100 kites were in the air!

good old times

I passed this street on my way in Haarlem, a street that I vaguely remembered: in 2000 this location was given as our urban design task. At that time it was an open site and used as a parking spot. My design made a connection between the city centre and the back entrance of the Teylers Museum with townhouses centered around a inner courtyard. The actual building is a public office block, ignoring backsides. However the street has been redesigned well, which provides for a much better entrance to the city centre.

pure market

The Pure Markt  has both stalls with hand made products and stalls with (local) food. The photos are taken at the stall of  Public Pie, which sells delicous apple pie! 

signposting

Some impressions of our bike tour through the dunes of The Hague; Meyendel.

what is important to you?

 

SOURCE: http://candychang.com/before-i-die-in-nola/ 

The public installations made by Candy Chang are so brilliant! I like the ideas, the graphic design, the simplicity, the photographs...everything! Visit her website for at least 10 other cool projects: to make cities more comfortable for people.

Inspiration

The yearly Scupad congress always inspires me and is mind opening. This year's theme was Breaking patterns, changing cities. Main patterns discussed in the working groups that are actually, breaking are the partcipation of individuals / public: “Nothing about us, without us, is for us.”  and the rise of social media. Like www.destadvanmorgen.nl or www.verbeterjebuurt.nl

Janes Walk - eyes on the street

We visited Quartier Lehen http://www.stadtwerklehen.at/ during the Scupad Congress, we participated in a worldwide event called Janes Walk. The area is a mixture of public and private functions, old & new buildings and different social groups.

green fingers

 Some impressions of our balcony at home