Thanks to overbooking on the part of a certain budget airline, I nearly didn’t make it to Amsterdam, to shoot the wonderful new Waldorf Astoria. Getting there involved a dash from Gatwick to City airport to catch another  flight instead. Once there, I had my work cut out to record as much of this vast hotel as possible. The building, or should I say, buildings, were converted from six 17th and 18th century houses, lining Herrengracht, one of the city’s principal canals. The hotel’s design has been implemented by GA Design International with great panache. From the moment you step into the white, marble floored lobby, it was clear to me that the designers had created spaces, mixing the old and new, that were going to be a joy to photograph.

Reception/Lobby/Peacock Alley

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Librije’s Zusje Restaurant/Vault Bar

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Guerlain Spa

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Rooms

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This was my first visit to Amsterdam for 25 years. The previous occasion had been a college trip, as an Interior Design student, and I’ve just managed to dig out my sketch book which recorded the week long stay, well the more cultural elements of it at least.

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Buildings on the same canal as the Waldorf Astoria

Buildings on the same canal as the Waldorf Astoria

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Drawing me drawing you

Drawing me drawing you

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Trip to see the newly built NMB Bank, with guided tour of its unusual interiors.

Trip to see the newly built NMB Bank, with guided tour of its unusual interiors.

Early attempt at interior photography

Early attempt at interior photography

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Tour of a 1930s Housing Estate

Tour of a 1930s Housing Estate

In the Rijksmuseum

In the Rijksmuseum

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