Amsterdam: Zuidas Precedent Study

Holland refers to the western region of the Netherlands. The etymology of Holland comes from the Middle Dutch term holtland (wooded land).

Many areas of Holland are below sea level, requiring constant drainage. This lead to the ubiquitous Dutch windmills, used for pumping water.

Holland

:Randstad

Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

Holland contains four major cities, Amsterdam and Utrecht in the Noordvleugel (North Wing), and The Hague and Rotterdam in the Zuidvleugel (South Wing).

These four nodes link with other cities to form the Randstad (rim city). The Randstad has seen many proposals over the years to link the region through high speed rail and international motorways.

Amsterdam The Hague Rotterdam

Utrecht

Over 7.5 million people, or half the population of the Netherlands, live along the Randstad.

Amsterdam is the capital and largest city in the Netherlands.

Including the Randstad cities, Amsterdam is the sixth largest greater metropolitan area in Europe.

The earliest mention of Amsterdam is October 27, 1275. Early inhabitants had built a bridge with a dam across the river Amstel.

Amsterdam’s history of foreign occupation and subsequent independence has produced a culture largely tolerate of various faiths.

Holland Amsterdam

:Context :Development :Evolution :Historical :Boroughs

Berlage Zuidas

The Golden Age of Amsterdam occurred in the 17th Cent. thanks to their worldwide trade connections.

Amsterdam’s most defining feature is its Grachtengordel (series of three canals) Major Highways

Major Waterways

Fifteen Boroughs of Amsterdam

The three plagues of Amsterdam are reflected on their city’s coat of arms as three crosses (flood, fire, & pestilence).

Development of the Grachtengordel 1342

1383

Holland 1st Cent. BC

12 BC 4th Cent. AD

1544

1667

1597

Frisians, Batavians, and other tribes settle the coastal territory along the Rhine River Romans attempt to push their empire’s frontier across the Rhine Barbarian invasions from the Saxons and Franks settle the region

Amsterdam

:Context :Development :Evolution :Historical :Boroughs

814

The death of Charlemagne creates a power vacuum within his empire

Berlage

10th Cent.

The counts of Holland and Zeeland begin to assert their authority in the region

Zuidas

1275

Count Floris V of Holland grants the people of ‘Aemstelledamme’ toll-exemption from navigating Holland’s canals

1287

A heavy storm washes away the last land barrier between Amsterdam and the sea

1296

The Lords of Amsterdam assissinate Count Floris and revert back to the rule of the Bishop of Utrecht

1300

Amsterdam officially declared a city

1506

Amsterdam is inherited by Charles V, King of Spain

1555-1579

The Protestant Reformation takes hold in Amsterdam, resulting in a break from Spain and Catholicism, culminating in the Alteration of Amsterdam (1578)

1581

The United Provinces declares their independence from Spain

Amsterdam’s Golden Age (1585-1672) reflected their power as Europe’s most dominant trading hub.

Facade Construction by Century pre-1700

1800-1900

1700-1800

1900-present

Holland 1602

The United East India Company is founded

1609

Henry Hudson, working for the East India Company, sails from Amsterdam and discovers Manhattan island

1626

New Amsterdam is founded in America

1652

Cape Town is founded in South Africa

Berlage

1673

William of Orange defeats invading French by opening sluice gates to flood the countryside

Zuidas

1747

Composite

Riots for governmental reform break out in Amsterdam

1795

The Velvet Revolution takes place as the French occupy Amsterdam with the aid of Dutch revolutionaries

1813

The Netherlands gains its independence from France

1853

Vincent van Gogh is born in Holland

1904

Amsterdam’s city council asks Berlage to design the undeveloped land to the south of Amsterdam

1920

KLM, the world’s first airline, schedules service between Amsterdam and London

1928

Amsterdam hosts the Summer Olympics

1934

The Afsluitdijk (Enclosure Dike) turns the sea near Amsterdam into the freshwater Lake IJsselmeer

Amsterdam

:Context :Development :Evolution :Historical :Boroughs

Germany occupied Amsterdam in WWII, with over 100,000 Jews being deported, including Anne Frank.

Holland

Historical Maps 1544

1866

1662

1922

1940

Nazi Germany invades Amsterdam

1942

Anne Frank goes into hiding

1945

Canadian soldiers liberate Amsterdam from the Nazi occupation

1949

The Netherlands joins NATO

1958

The Netherlands joins the European Economic Community, an early version of the European Union

1964 The Beatles tour Amsterdam’s canals 1975 Amsterdam decriminilizes cannabis usage in its 700th year as a city

Amsterdam

:Context :Development :Evolution :Historical :Boroughs

Berlage Zuidas

1997 The Treaty of Amsterdam marks the euro as the official European common currency

1770

2001 The world’s first legal same-sex marriage takes place in Amsterdam 2002 The Dutch parliament marks the Netherlands as the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia 2008 Plans push forward to build the Zuidas urban business center, with an estimated 2.5 million m2 development 2010 Construction is underway on the Dokmodel, where the new Randstad infrastructure is located below ground between the Zuidas highrises 2035 Estimated completion of the Dokmodel

The grachtengodel was used as a defense mechanism, transportation system, and flood control.

Holland Amsterdam Westpoort Noord 2

Geuzenveld/ Slotermeer

Zuidas 4

Osdorp

1 Bos en Lommer

:Context :Development :Evolution :Historical :Boroughs

Berlage

1 3

Zeeburg Oost/ Waterfraafsmeer

Slotervaart

2 Westerpark 3 De Baarsjes 4 Oud-West Zuidoost

Zuidas

South Axis Centrum

Center Oud-Zuid

Old South Zuideramstel

Southern Amstel

Amsterdam is divided into fifteen boroughs, with each borough containing several neighborhoods.

Holland Amsterdam Berlage

:Hendrik :1904 :1915 :1922

Zuidas

In 1901 a law was passed that sought to regulate overcrowding in Amsterdam by giving financial support to corporations that built affordable public housing for their workers. This lead to Berlage’s Plan Zuid (South) and Plan West.

Hendrik Berlage is considered to be the father of Modern Dutch Architecture. His influences included H.H. Richardson and Frank Lloyd Wright. His work inspired many Dutch architecture groups in the 1920s, including De Stijil and the Amsterdam School.

Holland Amsterdam Berlage

:Hendrik :1904 :1915 :1922

Zuidas

Berlage’s initial plan for the southern expansion in 1904 included winding streets and a strong connection to the existing fabric. The city council rejected his plan due to high cost and inefficiency.

Holland Amsterdam Berlage

:Hendrik :1904 :1915 :1922

Zuidas

In 1914 Berlage introduced a new plan, this time with straight streets and broad intersections. The plan was a success, with construction approved in 1917, following the style of the Amsterdam School.

Holland Amsterdam Berlage

:Hendrik :1904 :1915 :1922

Zuidas

A major feature of the plan was The Apollo area, which included the 1928 Olympic stadium. However, not all of Berlage’s plans were built according to plan, as evidenced by the southern edge of the plan.

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

Light Rail

Railroad

Canal

Motorway

This map shows areas where the Oud-Zuid meets the Zuideramstel. The moments all occur along intersections of infrastructure, and serve to highlight Amsterdam’s efforts to capitalize spaces that would ordinarily be left unused.

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid

Light Rail

Borough

Canal

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

The eastern edge of the Apollo area is highlighted by Berlage’s plan for connecting canals to create open, public spaces of water.

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid

Light Rail

Borough

Canal

Green Space

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

One of the major features carried over from Brelage’s plan, this intersection incorporates multiple layers of transportation with public green space for residents.

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid

Light Rail

Borough

Canal

Green Space

Railroad

Motorway

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

Along the Amstel River, bikes and boats are given priority. They serve to simultaneously link Amsterdam’s parks, canals, and historic trails across the motorway.

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid

Light Rail

Motorway

Canal

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

Amsterdam has created transit stations that can support transportation at a variety of scales. This image highlights the efficiency of space and foresight in planning.

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid

Light Rail

Motorway

Canal

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

Station Rai is a major transit hub for both train and light rail. It bridges over to create a multi-layered system of departure and arrival.

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid

Light Rail

Motorway

Canal

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

The most significant development is the Zuidas business district. It has become the home to a number of major international corporations.

The fabric between the motorways is finely grained, allowing for future modifications to the existing infrastructure with minimal interference.

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

These two plans are for the Zuidas business district and surrounding communities. Construction is currently ongoing to create an international hub for business and transportation, linking to the Schiphol airport and the rest of Europe through the Randstad’s high speed rail lines and motorways.

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid

Holland Amsterdam Berlage Zuidas

Berlage’s plan for the Zuid was to expand the boundaries of Amsterdam. He did so through weaving the fabric found within the grachtengordel with a new framework so that future connections would be possible.

The Zuidas is becoming the focal point for business in Amsterdam and along the Randstad. That an area bisected by a highway and rail is coming together as an international business hub speaks to the foresight of Berlage and the spirit of Amsterdam.

:Footprints :Apollolaan :Waalstraat :Amstel River :Amstelveen- seweg :Station Rai :Station Zuid