Whatever Rotterdam may be, it is not a cliché image of Holland. Maybe that is exactly the reason why characterizations of the city usually cannot do without a comparison with arch-rival Amsterdam. In contrast to its picture-perfect big sister, war-traumatized Rotterdam is full of urban ruptures: buildings come and go like in no other Dutch city. The transitory nature of architecture might also be related to its identity as a harbour city. -Other cities have a harbour, but in Rotterdam the harbour has a city-, goes a local saying. The book Rotterdam. Architectural Guide presents 150 buildings, arranged by neighbourhood. On this foray through the city, the reader is introduced to its history - from the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century to the massive expansion of the harbour in the 19th century, from -the beautiful merchant-s city- to industrial Rotterdam -, even if the focus is clearly on the 20th century and on the latest developments. For although the social problems are great, the
