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Inntel Hotel owns several hotels in different cities around the Netherlands. Their latest, opened in the town of Zaandam in 2010 is an eye-stopper. This 4 star hotel situated next to the Zaandam train station looks like a pile of houses stacked on top of each other. The houses were designed to appear like traditional Dutch houses with designs ranging from a notary’s residence to a worker’s cottage. Almost 70 individual houses are stacked within the main body of the structure executed in four shades of the traditional green of the Zaan region. The core of the hotel is concrete, while the "houses" that rise up are timber and clapboard. The 11-story and 40 meter high building provides 160 guest rooms, a swimming pool, wellness centre, Turkish baths and a restaurant-bar.
"It is a design that could be realised only in Zaandam," said a spokesperson for the architect WAM Architecten, "...but at the same time transcends and reinvigorates local tradition. It was, moreover, specifically tailored to this site. The Blue House, inspired by the work Claude Monet painted at Zaandam in 1871, is the ultimate attention-grabber."
"...architecture naturally makes a direct appeal to the emotions as well," adds Van Winden, the architecture. "An acquaintance recently commented, 'When I drive into Zaandam and see the building standing there a smile inevitably spreads across my face.' You could hardly ask for a more wonderful compliment."
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