Scratch-Built Dutch Canal House (Harlingen)

gorby
I'm interested in this project so I'll tag along. 🙂

gorby
What was the problem with the PVC foam?

René "Lord Bilbo" Bartholemy
Taking a seat.

Ben M
👀

littleblackbear
The foamed PVC was a nice medium that I'm sure I'll find a project for, but for now I just found scribing and cutting just a bit too fiddly to get right. That's more of a skill problem than a problem with the material. But I have a hot wire cutter that makes very quick work of foam, and the brick carving process is far more enjoyable for me on XPS.

gorby
👍

Jan Peters
Cool subject, as a resident of Arnhem this is special to me 🙂Although you show some great craftsmanship, this sort of houses aren't typical for Arnhem. These houses are more appropriate for Amsterdam. If you look at pictures of Arnhem and Oosterbeek from 1944 you will see more houses build in in the 1800s, and stately houses.
Just to let you know, in case you want your diorama to be historically correct.
I don't want to rain on your parade!

littleblackbear
Thanks Jan. I need to update the project it's attached to. I'd already decided that it wouldn't be going into the Market Garden diorama given the regional architecture inaccuracies you pointed out.

I modeled this after houses on the canal streets in Harlingen after spending some time there (and elsewhere around Fryslan).

littleblackbear
Updated!

littleblackbear
Jan, what would be some examples of typical Arnhem architecture?

littleblackbear
By the way, I cycled the fietselfstedentocht this last year. You have a beautiful country.

Jan Peters
Friesland is very nice indeed, I've spent some holiday time there as well 🙂
Some typical architecture may be found here:
martijnreinders.com/..j-het-museum-arnhem/
It is in Dutch, but Google Translate may sort that out.
These kind of buildings are typical for many areas where fighting took place.
Also note the fences, these are also very common (many are still there, even today) I will try and find some more websites with pictures of the area, and share them here.

Jan Peters
Here's some more information.
liberationroute.com/../3/the-war-in-arnhem
This site is in English too.
The hospital is where I was born by the way, many moons ago 🙂 It has now been converted into apartments.

Jan Peters
And some more:
battle-of-arnhem.com..ty-center-of-arnhem/

Jan Peters
And a cool video:
Youtube Video

littleblackbear
Massively helpful, thank you Jan! And very cool. You live in a beautiful place.

I'll end up scratch building a different structure for Market Garden that's a bit more regionally appropriate, architecture-wise.

For this project, I couldn't get over how much I liked the architecture of the canal houses, and ended up starting there instead of a proper Market Garden-esque house or building.

littleblackbear
I've done quite a bit of research on the Frisian resistance as I have a relative that was arrested and executed for being part of it.

I'll end up making this house as part of a liberation of Harlingen vignette, I believe. That Liberation Route site has been a good resource on that research, and I'll be putting together something around the Canadians and Dutch Resistance taking back the area. It'd have been the 7th Reconnaissance Regiment Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars that had first contact with the occupying forces, at the time, so I'll likely include a Humber or Staghound or Universal Carrier.

Jan Peters
You're welcome.
Cool subject switch, especially if it has some family history included.
I'll be following this 👀