Leuvehaven Electric Tram Sign, Rotterdam

March 29, 2024

This photo shows a modern electric tram sign at Leuvehaven, a historic harbor in the heart of Rotterdam. The area, home to the city’s Maritime Museum, seamlessly blends old and new, with historic ships moored alongside contemporary architecture. Rotterdam’s efficient tram network, operated by RET, is a vital part of its public transport system, connecting key districts across the city. This sign, with its clean digital display, stands as a symbol of Rotterdam’s innovative and forward-thinking urban design, captured near this location in Rotterdam.

Rotterdam Centraal – Metro tunnel, Line E

November 4, 2010

Underground at Rotterdam Centraal’s metro platforms, looking toward the light at the end of the tunnel. Bands of colored LEDs wash the tunnel wall, a contemporary counterpoint to the clean concrete and steel of the rebuilt station. This is the north–south trunk that carries RET services, including Line E.

Line E is the former Hofpleinlijn reborn as part of RandstadRail, linking Rotterdam with The Hague via the Blijdorp tunnel, Pijnacker, and towns like Berkel en Rodenrijs. The integration opened in stages in the late 2000s–early 2010s, tying the metro directly into the main rail hub. Above ground, Rotterdam Centraal’s new hall and forecourt were delivered by Team CS (Benthem Crouwel, MVSA, West 8), reshaping the station area for cyclists and pedestrians.

Exterior view at Rotterdam Centraal, Stationsplein.

Hotel New York Barbershop

December 21, 2013

Located in the historic former headquarters of the Holland America Line, the New York Barbershop is a true Rotterdam institution. After the Holland America Line ceased operations from this building, it was transformed into the iconic Hotel New York, which opened in 1993. A year later, the barbershop found its new home in the hotel’s basement.

The shop, run by Robert Lagerman, embraces a retro aesthetic, offering a classic barbershop experience where men can relax with an espresso or a beer. It’s a place that values craftsmanship and tradition, a nod to the building’s storied past as the departure point for thousands of emigrants seeking a new life in America. The barbershop is still open and can be found at Koninginnenhoofd 1.