At the end of 2001, Gideon Koekoek featured in Advalvas with his student room. Where is the former physics and astronomy student living now after 14 years? He has stayed in Amsterdam.
“I’ve moved twice since my student room. The first time to the other side of this street to 20 square meters. I thought it was fine, but it was a hovel. When the neighbourhood was redeveloped, I was allowed to choose one of six renovated apartments. Now I’m living in a space three times the size of the first one.
“When I came to live here I was a PhD student and only had a small salary. I used to have a lot of Ikea stuff and that was fine, but now I buy a piece of designer furniture every now and again. That gives everything a lift. That television cabinet that you can see just behind me, with oval sides. And the old signal lamp that gives off yellow light.
“I think everything in my house is nice, except for the fact that one of my two cats uses the sofa as a scratching post. Its beautiful, grey coat does go well with the purple sofa. That inspired me to choose these grey curtains.”
Gideon works as a physics teacher at the Gerrit van der Veen College. He is also a lecturer at the University of Leiden and works one day per week at Nikhef, the national institute for subatomic physics.
