Havenkom met Gooizicht
Haven had to become a real harbour, as Dirk Frieling had established the name Almere Haven for the district. To that end, the straight dike was ...
Haven had to become a real harbour, as Dirk Frieling had established the name Almere Haven for the district. To this end, the straight dike near the centre was breached and rerouted. This created an inland waterway (a havenkom) with a section for larger ships and a marina. Gooizicht, with many catering establishments in the plinths and housing above, embraces the havenkom with a grand gesture. The complex forms a continuous wall on the new dike body, with some passages to the car park behind it. The gabled roof is punctuated each time by higher facade sections with white mouldings at the top. The lower flats have semi-circular balconies. On Kruisstraat, there are two prominent towers with a series of stacked round balconies placed on stilts in front of the building volume. The base of the spires incorporates a white layer of windows and terraces. The towers act as a gateway building, pointing the way to the centre behind. In 2023, the well-known Van Rossems visited Almere, to discuss what the young city had to offer for their TV programme. Sis van Rossem recognises the quality of the towers, while Maarten van Rossem goes on a tirade against the complex Golvend Land, on the border of the Gooimeer, which consists of a restaurant, a lower section with 75 homes and a 19-storey flat. From their seat on the quay, the tower is rebuffed. It would "ruin" the view. The lower structure is likened to a crematorium. 'May I call for demolition?'
