Almere Architecture Tour

• Tours

Enjoy a scenic walk through central Almere as we view the famous architecture and some of the futuristic engineering marvels that are uniquely Almere.

Almere is known throughout Europe as one of the homes of modern architecture. There are two main reasons for this: The construction of Almere began in 1975 so there are no old buildings. This lack of old buildings means there would never be any architectural conflict between a neighborhood of classic old dutch buildings and a newly constructed building with a distinctive modern look, materials or color scheme. Thus Almere began a blank canvas for modern architects who were given the freedom to design whatever type of building they had in mind. The result is a collection of stunning moderns buildings designed by some of the finest Dutch and European architects.

This 2 hour tour focuses on the modern architecture and city planning that give Almere its distinctive modern look and feel.

Sights:

• City Mall – Where residential, commercial, and transportation needs blend seemlessly
• Kunstline Almere Schouwburg Theater – Home of the arts in Almere
• Blok 16: The Wave – A Sweeping, physics defying curve defines this landmark building
• Side by Side – The buildings with a dubious and mythic history
• Silverline – The dumbbell shaped building that seems to defy gravity
• De nieuwe Bibliotheek – The award winning modern public library
• La Defense – The sun creates a kaleidoscope of changing colors that bathe this building during the day
• De Fantasie – What happens when 10 people win a chance to build their dream house in the same neighborhood?

Train to Almere from Amsterdam & Schiphol Airport:

• From Amsterdam Central take the Intercity train that stops in Almere Centrum. Look for Intercity trains heading to Almere, Lelystad, Zwolle, & Groningen. These will all stop at Almere Centrum. Intercity trains takes 20 minutes from Amsterdam to Almere.
• You can also take a sprinter train. This is slower and take about 40 minutes.
• The same applies to trains from Schiphol Airport. An intercity train Schiphol Airport to Almere takes 30 minutes, while a sprinter will take 50 minutes.
• Buy a North Holland Train Pass. Travel on any train, bus, or tram in North Holland for free using this pass. The same pass you use to take a tram in Amsterdam can be used to come to Almere for no additional charge.

Although not possible to walk to during a 2 hour tour, Almere has many other spectacular building to see. Almere Poort has KindercASLa which is now called Het Klokhuis, a giant pink cake of a building with a sliding board coming out of it that was designed by a child.

Regenboogbuurt is a neighborhood in the south of Almere Buiten. There the streets are named after colors, and the house colors reflect the names of their respective streets. For example, on Chamoisstraat, you’ll find the yellow tower houses by Wickham Van Eyck Architects.  

One of the most controversial buildings is the Brandboxx. Perched along the A6 in the SE corner of Almere Stad, this silvery, UFO shaped building that houses the textiles/fashion center evokes a unique blend of admiration, mockery, and disgust.