More is MAS

Upon arrival to the Museum Aan de Stroom in Antwerp, or MAS as it is abbreviated, I was captivated by the architectural design of the building. While I appreciate the lovely medieval facades of the Low Countries and the history that these buildings entail, the stories they preserve, I find it refreshing to see and think about Europe from a more contemporary perspective, including its future.

The architectural design of the museum is very modern with its asymmetrical, linear stone structure and complementary waving glass floor to ceiling windows. With its gorgeous city view and its central, almost isolated location, the museum stands as a pillar of modernity and futurity within Flanders. With the knowledge that Antwerp is one of the largest ports in Europe, it is no mistake that this city is home to such a museum. Housing a great deal of historical artifacts and artworks that contemplate the great cultures of history and the modern day world, this museum stands as a metaphorical port in its own right, importing cultures from around the world and exporting the knowledge of these cultures to everyone who enters its doors.

I have really enjoyed seeing and learning about historical Europe. When I think about Europe, I tend to think about it in relation to its historical significance. I appreciate this museum, with its stunningly modern take on design, because it presents a different way of thinking about the European world. As a port town, Antwerp deals with the present. It is not concerned about yesterday or what is now history. It is concerned with today and tomorrow and the shipments that those days bring. It is no wonder that when I think of Antwerp, I do not think of a romantic medieval city. Instead, I think about it as I think about Rotterdam, as a modern day international hub.

Why do we not think about it the rest of Europe in terms of its contemporary importance? Surely the other cities within the Low Countries exist as contemporary cities with present day commercial, industrial, financial, and economic purposes and interests. Yet, there is an international stigma that Europe exists as a romantic getaway, suspended in time, unaffected by the typical stresses of daily life. Seeing how beautiful Europe is, how medieval it remains, it is easy together lost in this belief.

Cities like Antwerp and Rotterdam provide a great place to begin thinking about Europe outside of this romanticized ideal.

 

Sophia