Amsterdam Houses

This submission is a tribute to the capital of the Netherlands: Amsterdam. The set consists of three typical historical Amsterdam canal houses. The three houses all have a unique façade, corresponding with the most canonical façade types in Amsterdam. The build is compatible with the LEGO Modular line.

The first house, on the left, has a clock façade and houses a cheese store – which there are plenty of in Amsterdam! The Dutch, and the Netherlands, are known for their land reclamation. Large waterbodies were diked and then drained with windmills. The reclaimed land areas proved not so ideal for growing crops, and therefore the areas were used as meadows for cows. Cows of course produce milk, but milk as a commodity quickly goes bad. Milk, however, can be made into cheese, which can be much better preserved! Cheese therefore symbolizes the historical battle of the Netherlands with its water.

The second house has a stepped façade and houses a dentist office. The third house has a frame façade and is home to a small flower shop. It sells tulips, another Dutch commodity. Originally tulips did not grow in the Low Countries, but the Dutch imported them and started to sell them. At some point, a few tulip bulbs were worth just as much as an Amsterdam canal house! Ever since, the tulip has remained an icon of the Netherlands.

The cheese store sells a variety of delights, such as cheeses, meats and wine. In front of the store stands a wooden shelf that was commonly used to transport the cheese. The Dentist office has a little waiting room and a larger room for appointments. The dentist lives in the apartment above, which can be reached via the stairs that are accessible from the dentist office. The flower shop sells a large amount of colorful plants.

The apartment above the stores sits on almost the entire first floor. The front door opens into the living area / kitchen. The kitchen has a nice bar table with stools. The room leads into the bathroom with shower and washing cabinet. The bathroom then leads into a cozy bedroom. The stairs also lead further up and through a ladder the second floor can be reached. The second floor shows a hobby project of the dentist: LEGO! Can you recognize the modular sets that she has been collecting?

The set contains six minifigures:

-       The dentist

-       A boy who is not really looking forward to his dentist appointment

-       The cheese store owner

-       A female customer with her dog

-       An elderly lady looking to buy flowers

-       The flower shop owner

If you are just as excited as I am about this set: do not hesitate and support this idea! Also, let me know what you think about this set in the comments. Can you recognize the LEGO sets represented on the top floor?