Netherlands Field Trip January 2012: Day 1 - Antwerp

Every year the undergraduate students doing construction related courses join with the postgraduate students  (MSc Project Management in the Built Environment) to take part in a field trip to the Netherlands. It usually takes place in January and this year was held 22 - 25 January.

Sunday 22 January 2012

After a very early start for students and staff, the coach arrived in Antwerp on Sunday afternoon and the first two visits of the field trip took place. The first visit was to the Antwerp Law Courts which is defined by its dramatic roof line which resembles a series of sails.

Antwerp Law Courts by Loz Flowers via Flickr

Find out more about the Antwerp Law Courts building at: http://www.arup.com/Projects/Antwerp_Law_Courts.aspx

The final visit in Antwerp was to the Central Railway Station. The original building was constructed between 1895 and 1905 and a large scale redevelopment started in 1998 to convert the station from a terminus to a through station. The station now has 4 levels and 14 tracks. The development has won a European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage in recognition of the work to conserve the original buildings - have a look at a video showing the old and new station:

Back on the coach and arrived at the hotel in Amsterdam at 7pm just in time for dinner at Le Rendez-Vous.