Amsterdam Creative Capital book
Out of curiosity and commitment and convinced that the new can’t exist without the old, Marcel Wanders went in search of Amsterdam’s creative past, personally choosing the men and women he feels are ‘his creative family’. These heroes are honored in this book, highlighting the city’s most creative moments and inventions of the last 700 years.
Marcel Wanders wants to illustrate how an open, tolerant city contributes to creativity and how creativity binds people. He sees creativity in the largest sense of the word; it does not only exist in predefined fields, but is found in the heart of the creator, not constrained by any definition or form. Therefore in this book you will find new, sometimes unlikely, connections; heroes who look beyond existing inventions and conventions and in doing so, open new worlds – in the past and the future.
In his own way Marcel Wanders wants to show the world the potential of the city: Amsterdam is the creative capital because she has the creative capital.
Amsterdam Creative Capital is published November 2009 and costs 50 euros.
Kameha Grand Hotel
On November 15th the Kameha Grand Hotel in Bonn, by Marcel Wanders opened. Set on the banks of the Rhine, Bonn’s newest five-start design hotel is the Kameha Grand, with interiors designed by Marcel Wanders. The hotel enjoys views of the Rhine and Rheinaue rivers, as well as the Siebengebirge national park. According to Wanders: “The Kameha Grand Bonn unites the intimacy of the Rhine landscape with the dynamism [of] a conference center. The building is clad in glass – the challenge was to retain openness while creating a warm and intimate space…” Wanders continues, “A hotel should entertain, inspire and stimulate, so it needs a design that supports these qualities. We wanted to give the guest a pure five-star feeling by creating a space full of surprises and beauty.” The Kameha Grand was conceived as “one of the largest geothermal facilities in Europe,” storing the Rhine Valley’s summertime heat for the winter, and the winter’s cold for the summer. As a result, the Kameha Grand is largely emission-free, and not reliant upon fossil fuels. Kameha Grand Bonn offers 254 rooms (192 rooms and 62 suites, 2 restaurants, 4 bars/lounges, spas, fitness centers, event and conference rooms, and more).
