Low Lands; the projects progresses through the analysis of not only the physical features of the site, but also the metahphysical features of settlement and society. Moving towards designing at the scale of the city for the North-West frame of Amsterdam in a 100 years.
Contents
UNDERSTANDING AMSTERDAM
City Analysis
Dispropotionality of Infrastructure
Field work, Understanding the Character of the City
Driving, cycling and Walking through the city of Amsterdam, I took the chance to view the city from multiple lenses, as a visitor, tourist, local, amsterdammer and aspirational amsterdammer. Willing to experience the varied qualities the city has to offer and the experiences on the way. With its long history and rapidly changing dynamics, the city has much to offer, but these experiences end up being localised in different zones within the city, seperated from each other by non-physical borders. These tend to leave some unwarranted, secondary spaces that people of the city are disconnected from.
Built zones
Transition zone
1st Site Visit, by car, as a visitor
2nd Site Visit, by cycle, as a local
3rd Site Visit, by foot, as a future
Living on Water
Caged Greens Unused
Edges and their Character
The edges of the elements can give an equally important knowledges of the character of the principle elements of the city as their core. Hence, identifying and studying the edges of the water of the harbour and the greens. The difference in the edges of the green, some smooth, some rough, and some wavering, already signal towards their different characteristics, fuctions and purposes.
Blue Edges
Green Edges
Edges
The maps highlight three critical aspects of Amsterdam’s urban landscape: the water influenced port, ridden with industrial functions. The existing green spaces shown on the maps, including parks like Vondelpark, Westerpark, and the Noorderpark, serve as essential green lungs for the city. These spaces not only provide recreation and biodiversity but also act as natural sponges, absorbing rainwater and reducing the pressure on the city’s drainage systems. And finally the infrastructure that transports people across the city and should connect the different parts but sometimes becoome borders between them.
Port Water
The Blue and Green
Parks Greens Roadways Railways
Port Area
Parks and Recreational Greens
Roads
Trams
Persistence and Permanence
Mapping the structures that maintained the quality and nature of Amsterdam. The maps also reflect the persistence and permanence of key elements in Amsterdam’s urban plan. These enduring elements, continue to define both the spatial organization and the resilience of the city.The map shows how even though the water stays as a constant, its edges have changed over time. The greens are progressively decreasing and the infrastructure, non-existent 200 years ago, has now taken over the groundplan. The interplay of these persistent elements ensures that while Amsterdam evolves and densifies, its historical and ecological framework remains central to its ability to adapt and thrive in the face of environmental challenges. It also, however, shows how the designs for convinience have overpowered the roots of the city.
Decreasing Greens
Persistent Greens
Persistent Roadways
Persistent Railways
Permanent Water, Persistent Edges
People Density
The map shows the People density index of Areas of Amsterdam in 2024. The people density index: Number of people per hectare public space on a average day of the year. The analysis of people to green ratio highlights simply that physically a lot of green is available, but these areas are also the ones where people residency is also low, and if so the travel distance is not so supporting. Hence the areas which can be used to accomodate the population increase or higher density also need an improvement in the quality of their opens green spaces.
Population Density of Areas in 2024
Area of recreational green of Areas in 2023
Area of neighborhood green of Areas in 2023
Distance on road to Park-like green in 2023
Inferences from Amsterdam
Along with the significant borders, edges and arteries, the map highlights potential for use, intervention and initiative. The city of Amsterdam is only identified from its city center, the rest of it lacks identity and connection. The Greens only exist in segregated parcels and the port succumbs to industry. Maybe these elements are the ingredients for the future fabric of the city of Amsterdam.
Built
Industrial Remains
Waterfront Identity
Public Interaction
Green Renewal
IMAGINING AMSTERDAM
WHAT IF the greens started sprawling again to their original widespread reach?
WHAT IF we brought back nature to the city?
WHAT IF we live with nature as one?
WHAT IF these green parcels were interconnected?
WHAT IF we gave back the Waterfront to the people?
WHAT IF the port industry shifted its location?
WHAT IF Amsterdam was a Waterfront city?
WHAT IF flood-prone areas could be adapted for flexible functions of open greens?
WHAT IF we replace the web of Infrastructure was replaced with interlaced nature?
WHAT IF the city become car-free?
WHAT IF we had more organic movement though the city?
WHAT IF the transportation connections overlapped with green public connections?
Diminishing Greens
Flood-Prone Areas
WHAT IFs
GREEN-BLUE-CORRIDORS CITY-SCALE STRATEGY
The “Green Blue Corridors” project envisions a network of connected green spaces and waterways that weave through Amsterdam, linking the city’s neighborhoods to the harbor. With the aim to replace the infrastructure web sprawling through the city, nature can itself become the groundplan.
By enhancing the blue (waterfront) and green (parks and ecological spaces) edges, this vision connects industrial heritage with nature, offering new possibilities for recreation and urban life.
By integrating green pockets and ecological corridors with the harbor’s blue edges, this vision enhances public accessibility, promotes recreational opportunities, and fosters stronger connections between people and nature. These corridors unite the urban and the ecological, offering a resilient and adaptive framework for the city’s future, where public space is decentralized and enriched by both water and greenery.
ELEMENTS
Maintaining high-quality public spaces—parks, streets, waterfronts, and plazas—is essential to creating a livable and vibrant city. These spaces should be not only aesthetically pleasing but also functionally diverse, fostering social interaction, physical activity, and environmental resilience. To ensure accessibility and integration into daily life, nature must be decentralized, with built spaces embedded within greens rather than greens within built spaces. By designing spaces that are open, inviting, and recreational, the aim is to create a series of engaging, highquality environments rather than isolated, underutilized green parcels. These spaces should unfold as continuous events, seamlessly connected to one another, immersing residents in the atmosphere of nature and sustaining that presence across the city.
The green interventions expand and enhance Amsterdam’s network of parks, green pockets, urban food farming, adaptive reuse of industrial heritage, wetlands and ecological spaces. These spaces offer residents accessible areas for relaxation and recreation and serve as vital ecological corridors. Through native vegetation and sustainable landscaping, they support biodiversity, improve air quality, and create cooling zones, especially valuable in urban areas. Linking these green pockets with larger parks and natural areas creates continuous habitats for wildlife, strengthening ecological resilience across the city and establishing an interconnected fabric of greens that serves both people and nature.
Network of Greens
Built Edges
Public Greens as a Series of Events in Spaces
SMALL SCALE
GREEN INTERVENTIONS
Over and Under Highway Transformation
Adaptive Reused Park of Industrial Heritage
Taking back the Waterfront
With the aim to push industrial functions of Westpoort in Amsterdam to the North Sea Canal Areas, the hope is to give back the waterfront to the people, and give Amsterdam a newfound Waterfront Identity.
A zoning which looks at all functions not only built or unbuilt and with that making sure that there are spaces within that are not only flexible in purpose but also adaptable with time to accomodate future requirements. Housing, waterfront relaxation, public spaces, water activites and space for commute, all will make the Harbour of Amsterdam more accessible for its people and future generations to come.
These blue interventions also aim to revitalize Amsterdam’s waterfront by integrating waterbased public spaces with ecological functions. This involves transforming flood-prone areas and underutilized harbor edges into multifunctional spaces that blend water management with recreational uses. Water plazas, floating parks, and natural shorelines not only mitigate flood risk but also invite people to engage with the water through activities like boating, kayaking, and waterfront promenades. These blue spaces contribute to Amsterdam’s resilience, fostering a sustainable relationship with its waterways.
Existing Bifurcation: Between the water and the rest of the City
Forging Connections: By bringing people to the water
INTERMEDIATE SCALE
BLUE INTERVENTIONS
Fostering the connection between nature, harbour and people
The corridor interventions create seamless links between green and blue spaces, forming an integrated network that connects neighborhoods with the harbor. The corridors weaving through the city becomem ridges for people to flow into and reach differnet green and blue areas. They make the journey more accessible and feasible, throughthe thought out connections and beautification of these routes, no matter what the mode of transportation is, because they are too embeded in the green. All areas of Amsterdam are now accessing one or many of these corridors.
By establishing pathways, green streets, and ecological corridors, these interventions allow residents to move easily between urban and natural spaces. The corridors are designed to be walkable, bike-friendly, and accessible, ensuring that the benefits of green and blue spaces reach deeper into the city. This approach fosters social connectivity, promotes active lifestyles, and supports ecological flow throughout Amsterdam, creating a cohesive urban fabric that thrives on connection.
Water
Existing Greens Green Streets New Open Greens Green embedded Infrastructure Public Spaces
Source: Imagined with AI ChatGPT 4.0
LARGE SCALE CITY CONNECTIONS
CREATING AMSTERDAM
INTERWOVEN RESILIENCE
CONNECTED URBAN LIFE in North-West Amsterdam
AR1U090 Q1 R&D STUDIO URBANISM
BRYNN HUIS IN ’T VELD 6201199
MEGHA SAHU 6243258
NYNKE KRABBENBORG 5276497
WIES KOSTER 5293545
Shifting Dynamics
As Amsterdam evolves, the city faces challenging dynamics of climate change, densification and polarization. Our project aims to counterbalance these pressing challenges, in the belief that people can coexist with these shifting dynamics. By focusing on creating spaces that foster connectivity, both socially and physically, and by seamlessly integrating nature into the urban fabric, this approach enhances everyday urban life.
The city requires adaptable solutions that not only address current challenges but also anticipate future needs. By overlapping our personal themes -creating green connections, restoring waterbodies, improving accessibility and enhancing collective space- this structure plan focuses on three principles that can sustain resilient living in 2100. In essence, coexisting with shifting dynamics means that water is present in everyday life, open space is rooted in nature, modern cars are interwoven into street life, public transport stimulates the polycentric city, and collective spaces complement the diverse population.
Mobility
Lay out a strong network to support the 15-minute city
People
new centers in vibrant mixed neighborhoods
Nature
Create
Restore historic lake and strengthen existing corridors
Coexisting with Water 15 Minute City
Collective Space Green-Blue Corridors Megha Nynke Brynn Wies
COMPLEMENTING PERSPECTIVES
Structure Plan
A connection of decentralised cores, improved green structures, improved public spaces and stronger transportational connectivity forms ecological corridors across the city.
With the aim to revitalise the harbour for when its industrial era would come to an end, the plan details how it can be utilised to cope with the increase in population and densification. The living here will be different from the rest of the city as this land stands outside the embankments and dikes.
Our project identifies two areas within the city that hold the potential of giving an impulse to these interventions. The three principles -improving the quality of nature, strengthening public transport, and enhancing collective space- are applied, to visualize their implementation in a structure that encourages a harmonious relationship between people and nature within an urban context. This plan illustrates a flexible structure to provide resilient urban life whilst adapting to the demands of the shifting dynamics of Amsterdam.
Water Retension area
Harbor transformation
Densified areas
Improved green structure
Improved public space
Urban fabric
Existing green structure
Water
Center
Parks
Transfer station
Hyperloop
Dikes
New metrolines
New tramline
Hyperloop
Persistent borders
Existing public transport
Highway
Renewing the old neighbourhood of Osdorp activates a challenge, to unlearn the ideas of the past and add life for the future.
The interventions in the Ordorp region arepassive but scalable. By connection the water front of the lake, not just to the immediate surroundings, road and buildings, rather actually stretching it cross direrctionally into the neighbourhood , the aim is to create an epimeral green connection between the lake and the canal behind, while it perforates and permeated through the living, working, shopping and movement spaces of the people. Convertig shopping street from vehicular to pedestrial forges a stronger connection between the two green edges as well as the built and unbuilt spaces for the people.
To accomodate for growth, more housing opportunities must be created, not only on land but also on the water in the form of floating houses, an idea not so new to Amsterdam. As well as in the in-between, the places which are more prone to flooding, and unavailable for permanent construction, can have temporary shelter, which rise when the water rushes in and settle down when the water leave.
To continue building a living community in the harbour, housing needs to be accompanied by other functions, old and new, as retaining certain industrial heritage for the future to reflect back on the past. Finally, in accordance with the reduced vehicular use, the highways become thinner and crossconnected with nature which itself becomes the ground for all forms of transportation.
REFLECTIONS
Reflection on Group Intergration
How was the process of integration?
With all individual prospects spreading across all angles and themes, integration of our individual guiding themes and design perspectives might have seemed a difficult task in the beginning. However, as the studio progressed, our individual notions and focuses began aligning automatically, leading to a complimentary approach. With a few adjustments and compromises, our structural plan began to take shape.
What was our combined intervention?
Overlapping our ideas for Amsterdam, clearly highlighted our common principles that aimed at people, improving connectivity and integrating nature. To maintain quality of life of Amsterdammers amoung the densification expected in the future, we felt maintaing these essential qualities gave shape to our interventions. Showing focused areas with interventions allowed us the opportunity to detail these ideas as well as display the possibilties that can be used as guidelines for future interventions in complex mixed use areas/ neighbourhoods in Amsterdam. A more detailed scheme could be integrated with these ideas in the future. Another addition, if time permitted, I believe, could have been showing options to replace, with different permutations and combinations, these interventions in the framework or renewing/ redeveloping neighbourhoods based on the specific requirements of each neighbourhoods or area.
Reflection on Project Methodology
What were the results?
The resulting atlas is a balanced compilation of analysis and approach, with ideas sprinting in my head, I had to make sure they served a purpose for the need of the project. Co relating the theories and the essay, which also form the basis and justification for my guiding theme, led to what I believe is a more comprehensive braod scale design with adaptable and changable elements.
What was the methodology?
I believe that once I was able to establish the connection between the theoretical segments of the quarter and the studio, I was also able to syncronise my thoughts accordingly. The different scales and concepts of Site, Settlement, Coexistence and Imaginaries assisted me in situating my analysis, understanding, thinking and inteventions.
Reflection on Guiding Theme
Why did I choose this guiding theme?
An existing interest in public spaces, their design and their impression on the daily lives of people directed me towards my guiding theme. Creating high-quality, accessible public spaces is vital for ensuring the long-term vibrancy of a densifying Amsterdam.
How did I justify it?
With an initial idea, the next step was to see, check and verify, if this was indeed a need of the city and its people. The city analysis, specifically for density and diversity justified continuing down this path, but I had to make sure that along with being interesting, it also led to tangible design perspectives.
What pursued?
Flood-prone areas offer the potential for innovative designs that integrate water management with public spaces, such as parks and plazas that can double as flood control during storms. Expanding and linking green spaces can further boost biodiversity, promote healthier environments, and provide more accessible recreation. Focusing on adaptable, functional, and resilient spaces will help foster stronger communities and a sustainable urban future. These spaces, accessible to all, have the potential to enrich daily life and make Amsterdam more cohesive and welcoming.
Towards the end of the process, I had to revisit the intial steps multiple times, not only to stay on track with the theme and its needs but also to keep a check on its validity and feasibilty.
Reflection on Theoretical Context
Which theories guided me during the studio?
Theories on Adaptibilty, Isotropy, Indeterminacy and and Autonomy of Space gave my ideas actual terms and words and had continuous influence on my clarity of idea about the guiding theme and following perspective on design.
How did these theories influence my approach?
Adaptability highlighted the need for flexible public spaces that can evolve over time, while Isotropy aligned with my goal of creating decentralized, accessible spaces for all. Indeterminacy encouraged me to design for fluidity and openness, allowing spaces to adapt to future urban and environmental changes. The concept of Autonomy of Space reinforced the idea that green pockets and blue networks can function independently yet remain interconnected. These theories helped me view urban design as a dynamic process, balancing ecological needs with human interaction.
Reflection on Learning Process
How was my experience?
Even though it took me the first couple of weeks to adjust to the new dynamics and organised structure of the course and this quarter, I realise that I did not feel rushed at the end. It did take me some time to organise my thoughts, ideas and design to drawings but I believe that the framework of the quarter contributed strongly to the same. I am grateful that my mentor Marco Lub, continuously asked us difficult questions during the course of this quarter that made me ponder and took my thought process is previously unexplored tangents. It also made it easier to formulate my thoughts in a more linear fashion for the sake of the requirements and time assigned to this project. In hindsight, experimenting with the physical models, showed me the multidimentionality of possibilities and interventions. Even so, there was room for improvement and deeper critical thinking on the needs of Amsterdam.
What were my takeaways?
Being exposed to QGIS and even workshops like Bird’s eye view perspective drawings made it easier for me to compile my thoughts in physical form. Even though there is a long way to go, the resulting products show my progress through the quarter.
My Q1 journey started with a bag full of mixed emotions and some confusion, but I was able to streamline my thoughts to showcase my ideas and project my opinions in my design for Amsterdam.
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