Alphons' Photoblog
Mobile Storm surge barrier (Rotterdam)
Posted by Alphons (Kaatsheuvel, Netherlands) on 13 December 2008 in Architecture and Portfolio.
In the Hoek van Holland near Rotterdam harbour lies the final piece of the Deltaworks: the Maeslant Barrier. Two enormous gates shut off the New Waterway in the event of a storm tide. Through doing this South-Holland is protected against high waters.
This storm surge barrier is almost as long as the Eiffel Tower and weighs four times as much.
@andrea: Thanks for the compliment Bye.
Andrew Gould from Sydney, Australia
I've read about this system somewhere, Alphons. Very interesting photo from the documentary point of view, as well as for the unusual composition that you have here.
13 Dec 2008 2:50pm
@Andrew Gould: Thanks for your comment. Bye.
Monique from Koh Samui, Thailand
Wow, wat een imposant gezicht zeg! Gaaf standpunt ingenomen ook! Weet je dat ik van de week aan de Deltawerken heb moeten denken! De strandmuur heeft 't onder het jarenlange geweld van de zee begeven en nu was dat eigenlijk nog een kalm zeetje. Moet je je eens voorstellen wat die Deltawerken aan natuurgeweld moeten tegenhouden! Op die momenten ben ik trots een Nederlander te zijn ;)
13 Dec 2008 3:15pm
@Monique: Het is inderdaad bijna onvoorstelbaar. Zo groot, zwaar en krachtig.
Zo zie: je blijft dan even Nederlander.
Tot ziens.
Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia
Looks like an impressive and heavy object. A great pic.
13 Dec 2008 3:41pm
@Michael Skorulski: Thanks for comment and visit. Bye.
@Veronelle: What you see is the arm of one of the two turning barrier doors. The arms are about the Eiffeltower.
See you again.
Observing from West Cheshire, United Kingdom
Wat een gigantische groot constructie dat is, ik heb eens de kogel lagers gezien, onvoorstelbaar. Mooie plaatje ook.
13 Dec 2008 4:09pm
@Observing: Ja en bij een zo grote constructie heeft de kogel een tolerantie van minder dan een tiende milimeter, heb ik begrepen.
Tot ziens.
Earnest from Oklahoma, United States
You certainly communicate the size of this massive structure with this photo!
13 Dec 2008 4:18pm
@Earnest: It's indeed huge. See you.
Cheryl from Texas, United States
thanks for the education, very interesting. You've managed to portray the huge proportions of this
13 Dec 2008 5:33pm
@Cheryl: It is indeed beyond imagination. The engineers can walk straight up through the pipes!
See you.
k@ from Paris, France
Geez, I thought it was WHERE YOU LIVE ;-))))))))) Great angle, you have here... See you*
13 Dec 2008 5:37pm
@k@: No. I live about 80 km's from there. But I was born in Rotterdam, so I'm also proud of this great building.
Bye.
JJ from Jersey City, United States
Greta perspective of this device, and thanks for the link very interesting to read
13 Dec 2008 6:52pm
@JJ: Thanks for comment and visit. Bye.
@Alun Lambert: Thanks, bye.
Toomaj from Iran
interesting information, both captured in shot and described in note, cool
13 Dec 2008 7:57pm
@Toomaj: Thanks for your comment and visit. Bye.
@John: Thank YOU for comment and visit. Bye.
Fliss from Melbourne Beach, United States
Wow.... that is huge... love the info about it.. very interesting...
13 Dec 2008 8:31pm
@Fliss: Thank you for comment and visit. Bye.
manel from Girona, Spain
Impresionante!!!. Una composición perfecta.
Un abrazo Alphons.
13 Dec 2008 8:53pm
@manel: Muchas gracias, Manel. Bye.
Denise from Perry, United States
Wow! The size of this monster piece of work is amazing, nice shot, you caught the dimensions nicely.
13 Dec 2008 8:58pm
@Denise: Thanks for compliment and visit. Tot ziens.
@Marcah: See you.
Paul van der Meer from Valkenswaard, Netherlands
Alleen een goede fotograaf ziet zoiets! Mooi werk Alphons!
14 Dec 2008 12:40am
@Paul van der Meer: Nog een prettig en succesvol weekend. Gr. Alphons
@One: Thanks for the compliment. Bye.
@Zing: Thanks for the compliment. Bye.
Michael Rawluk from Williams Lake, BC, Canada
That is a fascinating piece of machinery. Terrific shot using that pint of view.
14 Dec 2008 5:48am
@Michael Rawluk: Thanks for the compliment. Bye.
@Steve: They have tried it once and the principe works. Lets hope it works in bad times.
Siam from Chaingrai, Thailand
Very impressive this building of the man to help the man, you not easy shot to accomplish seen the dimensions of this building
14 Dec 2008 7:26am
@Siam: No indeed. The dimensions are so huge (about the Eiffeltower!)
Thanks for visit. Bye.
akarui from Kagoshima, Japan
Very graphic and impressive picture. I don't understand exactly how that hudge structure can stop tide water but it would brake waves anyway.
14 Dec 2008 7:50am
@akarui: What you see is only one arm. At the end of the arm is the great barrier-door where it is about.
Look at the URL to see something of it.
Thanks for visit. Bye.
Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand
WOW that is an incredible feat of engineering and you have captured this really well!!
14 Dec 2008 9:05am
@Linerberry: Thanks for the compliment. Bye.
@NADINE DERUYCK: Dank je. Tot ziens.
@Richard_Irwin: Thank you. Bye.
Calusarus from St Sorlin en Valloire, France
Impressive PoV ! Congratulations for this shot.
14 Dec 2008 11:20am
@Calusarus: Thank you very much for your compliment. Bye.
@mo.langel: Merci. Au revoir.
@kerfendal: Thanks for the compliment. Bye.
Alaukika from Pune, India
It's amazing how man can go to the greatest extent to fight the natural calamities. This instinct for survival is really very fantastic.
14 Dec 2008 3:57pm
@Alaukika: Thanks for your wise comment. Bye.
@zOOm: Thanks for your visit. Bye.
@yiannis krikis: Thanks for the compliment. Bye.
@ninni: Thanks. Bye.
Pixim from Nice, France
It is gigantic construction, and your point of view shows it. I can imagine the force of your position, to be surmounted by this metal structure should not be reassuring ;)
14 Dec 2008 8:38pm
@Pixim: I trust the enigineers!
Thanks for comment and visit. See you!
Peter Knoop from Antwerp, Belgium
Ziet er erg indrukwekkend uit. En dat komt mooi tot zijn recht in de hoek die je gekozen hebt.
14 Dec 2008 9:59pm
@Peter Knoop: Het is zo indrukwekkend dat je het niet in één shot kunt laten zien. Vanuit deze hoek heb je een beetje een indruk van de gigantische armen en pijpen. De feitelijke deuren aan het einde kun je niet eens zien.
Tot ziens!
Charles from New York, United States
Nice point of view...really shows the size with the truck in the photo. Must take a long time to move it into position!
14 Dec 2008 10:25pm
@Charles: And a big beer of course. Thanks for comment and visit. See you.
Pradeep from Chennai, India
Wow!! Thats huge, really shows the size here. Almost an abstract. Great job :)
15 Dec 2008 1:07am
@Pradeep: Thanks for the compliment. Bye.
@gbe: Thanks for your compliment. Bye.
Marhilde from Geraardsbergen, Belgium
Dit is een heel imposant bouwwerk. Zou ik wel eens live willen zien. Knap standpunt. En ook bedankt voor de interessante link
15 Dec 2008 7:01am
@Marhilde: Het is inderdaad kolossaal. Niet in één blik te overzien. Een liggende Eiffeltoren, zeg maar, met aan de voeten een grote deur. Zeker een bezoek waard. Tot ziens.
Peety from Amersfoort, Netherlands
Echt gaaf! Love the angle of this shot, too! Great work, Alphons!
15 Dec 2008 7:10am
@Peety: Dank je voor het compliment. Tot ziens.
@hamidook: Thanks. Bye.
@Rags: Thanks for visit. Bye.
@rain girl: Thank you. Bye.
@DaveB: It's huge indeed. Too big to show in one picture.
Thanks for visit. Bye.
Ken McCoy from Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL, United States
Awesome POV! I never knew such a thing existed ...
15 Dec 2008 2:44pm
@Ken McCoy: It is indeed an overwhelming structure.
Thanks for comment and visit. Bye.
Yvonne S. from Tilburg, Netherlands
Wat raar! Mijn "blogwatch" gaf nog een oude foto aan, ik dacht dat je nog niets nieuws gepost had!! Deze foto is echt indrukwekkend en prachtig in zijn lijnenspel!
@ik ben eigenlijk wel benieuwd wat jij in Heusden zou fotograferen, dus ga je gang!! :)
15 Dec 2008 2:49pm
@Yvonne S.: Dank je voor het compliment. Datzelfde met de blogwatch heb ik bij jou en anderen ook al gehad. Bij jou zag ik de 50 cent, terwijl de rode bloem er op stond! Vreemd.
Heusden zal met dit weer niet vandaag of morgen zijn, maar het gebeurt een keer. Tot ziens.
mohkum from Muscat, Oman
Can imagine its massive structure! Correctly angled shot! Thanks for sharing.
15 Dec 2008 3:43pm
@mohkum: Thanks for compliment and visit. Bye.
@Dhini: Ik neem maar aan dat het veilig is.
Tot ziens.
@laur: Merci. Au revoir.
Stephen Phillips from San Francisco, United States
My work partner has been to Holland and we were talking about the impact of global warming on the region only yesterday. Great timing, Alphons. I've sent a link to this his way. The link at the bottom was most interesting. thanks.
15 Dec 2008 9:57pm
@Stephen Phillips: The necessary height of the dikes is an important talk in Holland in relation to the global warming. This project is huge in that context. (I'm a little bit proud of it -- I was born in Rotterdam ;-) )
Thanks for your interesting feedback. Bye.
@Mike: Thanks for your visit. Bye.
Grahame from Mt Maunganui, New Zealand
Amazing piece of engineering.
Interesting photo.
;)
15 Dec 2008 11:02pm
@Grahame: Thanks. As a born-Rotterdammer I'm proud too. See you.
Ronnie 2¢ from London, United Kingdom
Your image of this is so powerful . . can feel the weight of the barrier over me. Fantastic shot and deserves all this attention ! Well done.
16 Dec 2008 8:11pm
@Ronnie 2¢: Thanks for your compliment. Bye.
Howard F. from South Pasadena, Calif., United States
I SAW THIS ON THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL!!!
After Katrina, many specialist went to Netherlands to look at this structure, and this is exactly what they need in Louisiana where the geography is similar to parts of the Netherlands. Great shot and amazing engineering!
17 Dec 2008 12:04am
@Howard F.: Thanks for the compliment. I hope there will be a good solution like this for Louisiana. I know there has been some understanding between engineers. Bye.
@Polydactyle: Thank you. Bye.
Shjin daer Sahn from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
It's pretty imposing! The truck in the lower left corner does very much add a sense of scale to the whole structure.
17 Dec 2008 6:28am
@Shjin daer Sahn: It's indeed very huge! Hundreds and hundreds of meters. You cannot photograph it in one shot.
Thanks for your comment and visit. Bye.
djedfre from schaumburg, United States
that'll put you in your place! great shot!
17 Dec 2008 10:33am
@djedfre: You feel very small indeed. Thanks for the compliment. Bye.
Laurent from Lyon, France
very impressive!!! and I really like the angle you choose for your picture
18 Dec 2008 5:58am
@Laurent: Thanks for the compliment. Bye.
melodia from ffm, Germany
what a huge thing...!
good perspective. i guess that makes it seeming even bigger...
18 Dec 2008 8:33pm
@melodia: It is so big by itself you cannot get in in one picture!
Thanks for comment and visit. Bye.
@Marie: Merci beaucoup. Au revoir.
sithenah from Greater Manchester/Cheshire, United Kingdom
I love these kinds of shots - great capture
30 Dec 2008 8:06pm
@sithenah: Thank you very much. Bye.
