It is just over two years ago now, that I decided to move to Hamburg. Having studied for a long time and a few months graduated as an architect I wasn’t able to find a job in The Netherlands, so why not trying my luck in Germany, taking advantage of the European Union’s Leonardo project to gain experience abroad? It is there in Hamburg where my Polish adventure started: I met a Polish lady who was temporarily staying in Hamburg as well, preparing herself for a new job in Warsaw. So after half a year working in Hamburg I decided to move to Warsaw. I arrived in January 2013 – exactly when the longest winter in ages kicked in. Not exactly the best moment to start a new life in a new city in a new country. The contrast between Hamburg and Warsaw was big: from the moderate see climate of northern Germany to the harsh winter of central Poland; from a country whose language I speak fluently, to a country with a very complicated language of which I didn't understand a single bit; from a beautifully, prosperous city, to a quickly developing city, signed by its complicated history. In other words: Hamburg is an easy-to-like city, Warsaw definitely not. It takes time to appreciate Warsaw, but as dynamic as this city is: it keeps surprising – and mostly in a positive sense.
This website I will use as a platform to share my impressions, experiences and thoughts – about Warsaw, about Poland, about architecture, about mediation theory and probably many things more. Initially this website was written as a portfolio, to present my work, but since I have decided not to continue my career as an architect, a portfolio became unnecessary. Therefore this website has been offline for about a year, during which I developed a new concept as a kind of blog, adapted the design and rewrote the code. Some things previously published on my website will return: my photographs, some of my writings and of course my thesis on Aldo van Eyck.
Enjoy following my writings. And if you have any thing to add, any comment, you do agree or you do not agree: please do not hesitate to contact me. Feedback is always welcome.
published: 27 August 2014