Floating this idea to you

Singel-canal opposite Flowermarket (Bloemenmarkt)

Because of the Polder landscape and building on reclaimed land, and all the canals and water, and everything else that makes one’s experience in Amsterdam rather levitational, the theme for this month of Dutch water cities is [FLOATING].
Ex. 1
Ex. 2

Floating cities: often the only way to build them new.
Floating public spaces: new and informal appropriations every day.

Jan Gehl called Copenhagen’s watery public spaces “Aquatic City Space” and “Waterfront City Space” and described a number of activities that might occur in each place.  In comparison, Amsterdam seems rougher around the edges, more spontaneous, sporadic, condensed, overlapping, and unexpected.  Like Yes Duffy’s thesis card game, pick an activity, a location, and a group of people and mix-up this city.  Yesterday, I drew the haircut, on a boat, with 2 Australian nomads cards.  [FLOATING HAIRCUT]!

The act of float cut generated instant business (recruited boating tourists) by making a typically semi-private/private activity public.  It doesn’t hurt that it was refreshing (being doused in water in the heat of the summer) and at the peak of tourist season.

Copenhagen is modeling parts of its new development on Amsterdam, can it capture the true spirit of this place?  In more words, Serban said no.  I [insert photo with new haircut] tend to agree.