SEPTEMBERHELLOZUIDAS.COM•OCTOBER 2022 63 JURENNE HOOI CHAIR OF THE BLACK MONTHACHIEVEMENTFOUNDATION “THEINCLUSIONTHECOMMUNITYBUSINESSISLEADINGWAYON&DIVERSITY, BUTNEEDSMORETOBEDONE”
Amsterdam Pieter Braaijweg 12 1114 AJ Amsterdam T. (020) 460 4690 I www.van-poelgeest.nl E info@van-poelgeest.nl Amstelveen Burg. A. Coiijnweg 6-8 1182 AL Amstelveen T. (020) 503 2300 VAN POELGEEST, MET PASSIE VOOR DETAIL.Maakt Rijden Geweldig
PASSIE VOOR AMSTERDAM-ZUID. Amsterdam-Zuid, onbetwist het mooiste stadseel van Amsterdam. Van de Stadhouderskade tot het Vondelpark en alle straten ertussen. In de 19e eeuw werd de stad uitgebreid met een stadsdeel met daarin fantastische gebouwen; vol met unieke details welke ieder pand zijn eigen karakter geeft.
Een opvallende match met de BMW iX. Een auto die bol staat van karakter, in de vorm van 100% recyclebaarheid, natuurlijke materialen en robuust ontworpen lijnen in het exterieur. Van details als de Shy Tech intelligente systemen tot de olijfblaadjes - welke verwijzen naar de bekleding die gekleurd is door middel van olijfbladeren -, is dit een auto die u blijft verrassen. Laat u ook verrassen door de BMW iX of één van de andere BMW’s bij Van Poelgeest.
Lesley Bamberger, Kroonenberg Groep & Romy Lange companies say it’s a certainty. Land prices throw another spanner in the works. Many project developers purchased land on the assumption that they would be able to recoup their outlays and make a profit with the construction of at least some expensive homes. Land prices depend on the value of what’s built on it, so if developers now have to build many more cheaper homes than they initially banked on, they face a depreciation of their asset. Will developers in that position still be willing to build?
3 Preface
ROMY LANGE Editor-in-chief Hello Zuidas r.lange@zuidaspublishers.nl
The housing crisis has been a hot topic for months. Make that years. Housing and Spatial Planning Minister Hugo de Jonge plans to build 900,000 new homes by 2030, including 600,000 affordable homes in price brackets up to 355,000 euros. Yet, shortages of labour, construction materials and land to build on, not to mention nitrogen restrictions and further regulatory changes, could make reaching that target a mission impossible. Several political parties and various real estate Zuidas is becoming an increasingly vibrant place to not only work, but live. There’s a cinema, a theatre and plenty more. Sadly, the library slated for Zuidas, OBA Next, fell through at the last moment. Our district’s loss is Zuidoost’s gain, however, and we gladly congratulate them. Meanwhile, Zuidas is set to welcome a museum, studio and centre for debate under one roof next year, when Sapiens opens its doors in Valley. Here, a community of science, government, business and arts professionals will work on projects for a better planet. There are also plans to open a museum in the former courthouse. We can’t wait to hear more!
On behalf of Lesley and the whole team at Zuidas Publishers, happy reading!
Recently, I joined Lesley Bamberger, CEO of Kroonenberg Groep, on top of his new residential project, Q Residences, from where we contemplated Zuidas. Lesley told me that it’s getting increasingly complicated to build new homes. Not only is it harder to make the numbers add up, the imposed regulations are also creating a challenge. “As a result, this country is not building nearly enough, and investors are less inclined to come in and build those affordable homes. Skewed income-to-rent ratios are increasing in Amsterdam. If it were up to me, we’d actually build bigger homes made to be affordable for renters who want to move from subsidised housing, built by housing associations and funded out of a national housing budget. This country needs good, realistic building plans.” This issue shines a spotlight on homes and living. It’s a topic that has many real estate companies and people in Zuidas seriously concerned. Though all the interviews and conversations we had didn’t yield a definitive fix, we’re hopeful that everyone in the Netherlands will one day be able to find a firm footing on the property ladder.
OLIVIER OTTEN Managing director of Hello Zuidas
PREFACE A firm footing on the property ladder for all: realistic vision or utopian illusion?
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1632 19600626 5 Index 06 Coverstory with Jurenne Hooi Chair of the Black Achievement Month Foundation 10 Building the Future • Eleven days without the A10 Zuid • New platform for North/South metro line • First floor of WTC Tower Ten complete 12 Share #Zuidas Social Media 13 JohnColumnLeerdam 16 Zuidas Hometour ‘’My house is like a bird’s nest with an amazing view of the city’’ 19 Hello You VU PRIDE Open Air Cinema 20 Got a Minute How do you make your house feel like home? 22 VU SuperchargingStarthubenterprise at VU 26 Don’tAgendamiss it 30 Hello GrachtenfestivalYou X Hello Zuidas 31 Van Lanschot Kempen ‘’We encourage entrepreneurship and proactivity’’ 32 Residential Special Intro with Reinier van Dantzig 34 Savills 37 De Hypotheker 38 Architecture 42 Explaining Living in Zuidas platform 45 Waterfront Living in Leimuiden 46 Dentons and padel Challenging the status quo 50 Hello Zuidas introduces Michiel de Bruine 51 TheIlly fuel that unites Zuidas: coffee 52 ‘’Together,Propertywe can make Zuidas a vibrant district with a thriving community’’ 54 Black Achievement Month Some highlights of this year’s program 55 Lyon Presents ‘Vitra Dynamic Spaces’ 56 MembersMobility‘Task Force Bereikbaarheid Zuidas’ making strides to improve access 58 #HellozuidasLegal 60 ZuidasSustainabilityTurn(s)offthe lights 62 HowFinancehighwill construction costs go? 64 New Members Hello Zuidas welcomes the following new members 66 ZuidasMemoboardupdates 68 Meet The… Florist With an excellent business climate, world-renowned educational institutions within reach, and leading companies in many sectors from many countries, Zuidas has huge potential. The foundation Hello Zuidas contributes to Zuidas by realizing a well functioning area. The goal is to promote a district that has international appeal, and high quality working and living conditions. INDEX Hello Zuidas invests in trees! Through our sponsorship for Trees for All, we plant trees that restore existing forests. Next issue [64] 7th of November 2022
“My focus – as advisor and sounding board – is on the mission, vision and objectives of Lieven de Key, governance, and on priorities such as a healthy planet with nice, affordable housing. And above all it’s on helping to solve major housing issues in Amsterdam. Housing in Amsterdam is virtually inaccessible to for teachers, police employees, caregivers, first-time home buyers, young professionals or students. In my own housing portfolio, in the real estate and housing committee, we’re continually looking at the social imperative to serve
BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS LEADING THE WAY ON INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY, BUT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE”
Jurenne Hooi – professional commissioner, poverty and debt relief advisor and chair of the Black Achievement Month foundation Céline Boute Bobbie
If there’s anyone who epitomizes a ‘hands-on, can-do’ mentality, it has to be Jurenne Hooi. She grew up in Curaçao, moved to the Netherlands at age 19, worked hard to carve out a career, starting with a degree in health sciences from Maastricht University and going on to become an independent professional commissioner and advisor on social welfare issues and keynote speaker. Though she advocates for disadvantaged groups across the whole kingdom, Jurenne is riding a positive train towards a world with a more equitable promotion and distribution of wealth, opportunities and pathways to growth.
Text:
“A key reason for my joining these boardrooms was the domain they operate in and seeing, during my own tenure as managing director, that they had few to no members of colour. Personally, I felt boards generally were not complementary, and if I feel strongly about something, then that’s what I gravitate towards. My primary role is acting as an advisor and sounding board. At Amsterdam Museum I am the chairlady of the board, with inclusion as one of my priorities. At Cordaan my focus is on quality and safety, while at Stichting Doen we’re looking at sustainability, circular economy as well as social projects.
If there’s something we can be doing to leave a better world for future generations, I want to be involved. When you’re a board member, it’s important to not put yourself in the director’s chair, while at the same time you have to stick to your guns. We do a lot of working visits where we talk to employees and stakeholders, in which being cognizant of your role is important.”
As a supervisory board member of Lieven de Key, a housing association, you are also involved in their operations in Zuidas. What is your opinion of the new projects in Kop Zuidas and the Innovation District?
Jurenne, how did you go from social work to becoming a professional commissioner?
6 “THECoverstory
“Political science had always had my interest, but my first choice wound up being health sciences. After my PhD in cardiovascular diseases, I moved to Amsterdam. For 12 years I headed a large social services organization serving Amsterdam-Zuidoost and Diemen. I developed my own vision on how I wanted to help people. This propelled me to start for myself as a poverty and debt reduction advisor. I also started a degree in governance at Nyenrode University, which then launched me into the role of professional commissioner. These days that is my function on the supervisory boards of several organizations, alongside teaching governance.”
• Photography: Caily
Jo
Could you describe your role on the supervisory boards of Stichting Doen, the Amsterdam Museum and Cordaan?
7 Coverstory
Going back to your vision on inclusion and diversity, could you expand on that?
“Follow your heart in all things! I too started out as a student, scraping by, but in my career I’ve always followed my heart. Money brings happiness to some extent, but the rest is down to what gives you satisfaction. That’s how I plan to carry on, and that’s how to keep striving for and developing your full potential.”
“BAM’s objective is to shine a spotlight on individuals of colour – with African roots – who have played important roles in art and culture. People forget how important it is to have role models. By offering a platform for black excellence, we’re showing future generations that it is possible! Aside from arts and cultural programming, we also organize academic debates to which everyone is welcome. At the end of the day, no one should be judged as a group, but by who he or she is as an individual.It will probably take generations, but I’m optimistic this train will keep moving towards a world where wealth is better distributed among all. We are on the right track.” Between all your other activities, you are also publishing a book, Eigen Schuld… (‘Own Fault…’). Can you tell us more about that?
8 Coverstory all target groups, especially the first-time home buyers and students. De Key is doing a good job of fulfilling its societal obligation to supply these new homes. For example, around the Zuidas we are developing projects Stepstone (216 appartments) and Crossover (120 appartments), both for first-time home buyers. It is a wonderful supervisory board to be a member of, just like the other boards I’m in, and immensely proud of that.”
“Personally, I think we need to guard against the words diversity and inclusion becoming catchalls. I see inclusion as being complementary. It’s not only about colour, but also gender, age, being overprivileged or under-privileged. In a diverse team, you can tackle a product, problem or topic from a variety of angles and that has really big payoffs, both in the workplace and societally. While I think the business community in places like Zuidas is leading the way, there is still more work that needs to be done.” You chair the Black Achievement Month foundation. What is your mission and what do they do?
“I spent twelve years working as a director on social issues around poverty and debt, and that gets under your skin. The government has still a way to go at solving this problem and could learn from the corporate in terms of how they’re working to address certain problems and cater to their clients’ needs. Working with the corporate sector on these issues has brought me a lot of insights. Part of the book consists also of portraits of clients I worked with. This is a shared, societal problem, it can happen to anyone. I hope the book, published by Prometheus, will contribute to changing the way we approach the debt issue. It’s coming out in November!” What message would you like to leave Hello Zuidas readers with?
‘’Money gives happiness to some extent, but the rest is down to what gives you satisfaction’’
What is your experience of this in Zuidas?
Hoofddorpplein 31, 1059 CW info@smegoutletamsterdam.nlwww.smegoutletamsterdam.nlAmsterdam
10 Building The Future
After an 11-day closure, motorists were once more driving on a fresh layer of asphalt across the A10 Zuid on the morning of Wednesday, 3 August 2022. There is no longer any sign that these major works even happened. A complex job has been completed with pride.
Photography: Your Captain Luchtfotografie
BUILDING THE FUTURE ELEVEN DAYS WITHOUT THE A10 ZUID
On Saturday, 23 July, the Nieuw Zuid construction consortium began pre-drilling the sheet piling and inserting the foundation piles. On Sunday, we began actually inserting the 80 box piles – a process that went more smoothly than expected and where there was only limited noise nuisance. In the days after that, we reinforced the foundation piles before burning them down to the right size and pouring in concrete. On top of these piles, we lifted up huge reinforcement cages (steel structures) later that week, in order to fill them with concrete. These abutments will support the roof sections of the Brittenpassage. And that’s where the excitement started. Threat of delays Midway through the week, it appeared that we were behind schedule. This was primarily caused by limited space on the construction site. There was a constant flow of workers, materials and machinery to be seen in this very limited area. Manoeuvring vehicles in situations like that is an art in itself. Minor hold-ups soon added up, leading to delays of several hours. Then there was the further issue of several key figures on the construction site falling ill with coronavirus. The finishing work on the abutments appeared to be under threat, but thanks to a new schedule and concerted efforts, it all proved possible in the end. On the morning of Monday, 2 August, we filled the fourth and final abutment with concrete. Putting it all back again In the meantime, we were already putting the railway platform and tracks back into position. When the final abutment had hardened, we were able to start dismantling the final section of the construction site and lay a fresh layer of asphalt. On the webcam, the very first cars could be seen driving over it in the early morning. Not long after, the first trains also started to appear on the reinstated tracks.
Metro passengers have already had some time to get used to the changes to the platforms on the North/South metro line and are making enthusiastic use of the new crossing. So, what has changed and why?
Space for Brittenpassage
Building The Future Building The Future 11
The repositioning of the metro platform gives us more space on the western side of the work site, where we will be building the roof sections for the new Brittenpassage later on. Once Brittenpassage has been completed, all of the metro platforms will be located between Brittenpassage and Minervapassage.
Ideally, we would also have liked to raise the height of the two outermost metro platforms for lines 50 (from Isolatorweg to Gein) and 51 (from Amsterdam Central to Isolatorweg) at the same time, but there was no room in the schedule to do this.
The most southerly platform will be done in 2023 and the most northerly one later.
Until then, there will be a height difference between the two outermost platforms and the two North/South metro line platforms in the middle.
NEW
PLATFORM FOR NORTH/SOUTH METRO LINE Amsterdam Zuidas Information Centre Central Hall, WTC +31 (0)800 50 www.zuidas.nlcontact@zuidas.nl65 Follow on @zuidasamsterdamzuidas Photography: Marcel Steinbach Photography: Marcel Steinbach Two train tracks were out of service for 11 days Large machinery for inserting the foundation piles The new crossing Hoisting the reinforcement cage into position Fresh asphalt The platform has moved 50 metres Different platforms, different heights The new ramp between platforms M2 en M4
Limited noise nuisance
From 25 July until 3 August, this part of the A10, next to Amsterdam Zuid station, was one big building site. We removed the asphalt and took two railway tracks out of service. And all of this was achieved to make it possible to rapidly insert dozens of foundation piles, vibro-drive 80 sheet piles into the ground and build four gigantic abutments, as part of the new Brittenpassage. A mammoth task that involved quite a few challenges.
Platforms for metros 50 and 51
Since Saturday, 23 July, metro passengers have had to walk around 50 m from the passageway in order to reach the North/South line. This is because the platform has been moved in an easterly direction, over Beethovenstraat. In the new situation, all of the metro platforms are connected by stairs, a crossing and a ramp. This means that passengers no longer need to go under the track via Minervapassage in order to change trains – even if the departing train is on a slightly lower platform.
SOCIAL MEDIA YOU CAN FIND ON THESE PLATFORMSONLINE For@hellozuidas@HelloZuidashellozuidasemployees of companies who are member of Hello Zuidas, it is possible to join our LinkedIn group or link as a contact. DOWNLOAD THE HELLOCITYZUIDASAPP Hello Zuidas has an app that allows you to flip through all the Zuidas news! @tombuys67 ING house (2002) ... @amberxjiao You know what like about people? Their dogs �� @manhattan_sth Have you met Alex? ... #shakeit @robhoeij Iconic hotel nhow RAI Amsterdam ... @atriummeetingcentre @zuidas_servicediensten.nl #hondenuitlaatservice @green_gastrobaramsterdam Tomatenthee met gelei van tomaten, kaffir crème en huisgemaakte ketchup @instamenno_ Symphony Offices ... @enjoyamsterdam.nl @nela.restaurants is de nieuwste culinaire aanwinst van de Zuidas ... @thevalley_nl @pjotrp_now Pride Amsterdam is het grootste ‘evenement’ van alle Gay Prides in Nederland ... @puurperspectief_infrafoto nieuwe wissel tussen metro station Rai en Station Overamstel @burocurious Visibility of the LGBTQ+ community ... WTC seen from Beethovenstraat Floors and system ceilingTopcompletedfloorshell
COMPLETETEN
12 Building The future Social Media Find out more by opening this folding page
TOWEROFFLOORSFIRSTWTC
Photography: Marcel Steinbach
After almost four years of construction, the first floors of Tower Ten – the new World Trade Center tower – are now complete. Tower Ten is the latest extension to the WTC, which covers more than 150,000 sq. m. and has more than 300 tenants, making it the largest multi-tenanted business premises in the country. Tower Ten will add another 32,000 sq. m. to the megacomplex. To enable its construction, the existing WTC D tower has been completely stripped, renovated and had ten new floors added. A completely new tower, with 22 floors, has also been attached to the D tower. The underground car park was extended to reinforce the tower’s foundations and a bicycle park has been added. Finally, a lower section is being built to connect all of the towers together. The overall completion of Tower Ten is scheduled for November 2022. In the meantime, we have already started on the relandscaping of the area around Tower Ten. We expect this to take until the end of 2022.
Photography: Nestor Tsakirakis, Studio Klijn
FROM DISTRICTPROBLEMTO COMMUNITYZUIDAS COLUMN
John Leerdam is a Dutch film and theater director and former politician. He was a member of the parlement for the Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA) from 2003 to 2012.
13 Column
It was 38 years ago that I remember discussions flaring up in cities all across the Netherlands. They touched me personally when I started house-hunting in Amsterdam. I looked around in the districts of Oud Zuid, West and Oost. The image of those places appealed to me and that’s where I wanted to live. In 1983 and 1984 I was offered housing in Uilenstede (a student flat) and in squats in Spuistraat and elsewhere in the city centre. It was the thing in those days. Personally, it felt confusing to live in a place knowing that you could be booted out without warning because it wasn’t yours. I knew of few students from the former Netherlands Antilles and Aruba who lived in squats. I did know a bunch of families and had friends who lived in neighbourhoods that, up until a couple of years ago, might still have been called ‘Vogelaar districts’. Problem areas. Homes there were by and large poorly insulated, too small and, frankly, too expensive. But there was already a housing shortage and people were grateful just to have a roof over their heads. As minister of Integration and Housing, Ella Vogelaar got to work in her seven-league boots, campaigning for greater differentiation and more humane housing. Some people loved her. Others thought her policies were mad. Either way, she was an advocate for Zuidas but also strove for more student housing through projects like ‘Student Experience’. Her philosophy was simple: take good care of your buyers and tenants. Ensure you have differentiation in ages, faiths and ethnicities. Everyone deserves decent living conditions! Combine aesthetic appeal with a socially-minded living environment with green planting. Bring in architects and urban planners from bi-cultural backgrounds, so the city can celebrate genuine diversity and inclusivity. Zuidas is a unique slice of Amsterdam where I sometimes get the feeling, driving around, that the socially-minded, bi-culturally informed component was left on the drawing board. I’d like to issue a challenge to developers to conceptualize not only in bricks and mortar but in visions for 50 or 100 years from now, for highly diverse communities with affordable housing where everybody wants to live. Ella was ahead of her time. She envisaged a housing market in equilibrium. That was affordable. Who wouldn’t want that? I, for one, would love it.
LUXURY APARTMENTS XXL APARTMENTS THE MAYOR VILLA’S
Oscar Hammerstein, lives in Valley
“The city centre was a marvellous place to live and there’s a reason I stayed for forty years, but it was getting too dirty and
Retired lawyer Oscar Hammerstein traded Amsterdam’s historic centre for a dazzling apartment in one of the brand-new Valley towers. With art on the walls, eccentric curios collected around the globe and bookcases piled high and wide with literature, he and his cat Taghi – named for you-know-who, because “she has a rather aggressive streak” – share a unique and stately interior in one of the city’s most cutting-edge residential complexes. How does he like living in Zuidas?
After living along the canals for decades, you decided to exchange central Amsterdam for Zuidas. Why change?
16 Zuidas Home Tour
“My house is like a bird’s nest with an amazing view of the city”
“I was a lawyer for forty years and worked at a beautiful office on Herengracht. Now I’m retired, meaning I’ve gone from working eight days a week to only six, haha. I enjoy exercising and we have a good gym and a nice swimming pool in the building, so that’s a treat. Actually, living here is like living in a hotel. I read a great deal, which I finally have time for now, and I like walking up the stairs in between the Valley towers or doing a loop around Beatrixpark.”
ZUIDAS HOME TOUR
Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
“Obviously, it’s ideal that everything is within easy reach here. And Valley is also an amazing residential tower; from my flat on the 18th floor I have a view that extends to the dunes of Zandvoort, the centre of Haarlem and the houses in Amstelveen. It’s like sitting in a bird’s nest, from which I can look out across the whole city and its surroundings. During the day it’s lovely, but at night it is downright spectacular. As the lights slowly come on around the city it’s as though I am looking at a living painting. Quite simply, only in Zuidas will you find a view like this.” Is there anything still missing in the area?
Name Oscar Hammerstein Job Retired lawyer Building Valley Hobbies Reading, fencing, cycling and polo Favourite spots at home
17 Zuidas Home Tour Text: Tessa Burger • Photography: Nestor Tsakirakis, Studio Klijn
“Not really, no. As I say, yeverything is at hand here. Gelderlandplein is around the corner and, to be fair, there are fantastic shops there, where you can find whatever you need. There are also nice places to eat and, surprisingly, plenty of spots to enjoy nature and relax. People always go on about Vondelpark, but if you ask me, Beatrixpark is even nicer. It’s a good deal quieter and there are very pretty little vegetable patches where I like to sit and read on days when it’s nice out.”
“In my living room I’ve got a chair in front of the window where I like to sit and read. That is also my cat Taghi’s favourite spot, so coming out of my office after working in the morning I have to chase her out of it, but then I can relax there for the rest of the afternoon.” Favourite spots in Zuidas “Pizzabakkers. Not only do they have great food and good cocktails, but the staff are also lovely. And in summer you can catch the last rays of sunshine on their terrace.”
messy. There were occasions that I’d be walking around with a bin bag and litter picker and a person would drop something on the street right in front of me! Zuidas is brilliant in that respect: a whole lot tidier and very well maintained.” What makes Zuidas the ideal place to live, in your eyes?
for
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19 Hello You
HELLO YOU PRIDE OPEN AIR CINEMA @ GERSHWINPLEIN
Photography: Roxanne Wilm
Zuidas joined this year’s Pride Week celebrations, hosting an Open Air Cinema on Gershwinplein on Friday, 5 August. Pride Amsterdam Ambassador Hans Verhoeven and Bart Vink of the Zuid urban district council kicked off the evening with an informative word of welcome, followed by Jus Jahlisa in a sizzling voguing act. Capping the event was Ceyenne Doroshow, executive director of G.L.I.T.Z. & Black Trans Power Forever, whose inspiring speech had everyone on the edge of their seats.
Hello People
HELLO PEOPLE
GOT A Ellen Knol (34) For commuting, Zuidas feels like it has the best of both worlds. I live just outside the city, where it’s very quiet, and I think that would be harder to find in Zuidas. But Zuidas is becoming much more residential. There’s more to do at weekends, like places to go eat with friends. And more and more apartment buildings are going up. I think Valley would be an amazing place to live because it’s got everything you need, including a gym, several restaurants and a swimming pool. Nothing makes me feel more at home than a bouquet of fresh flowers to brighten up my apartment.
20 With some 1,700 new residential units being added between now and 2025, plus another 6,000 in the years thereafter, Zuidas will eventually total around 10,000 homes. Most will be concentrated in Ravel, Verdi and the new ‘Innovation District’, where whole new neighbourhoods are being built from the ground up. Zuidas is consequently fast gaining popularity among house-hunters, with the Valley complex leading recent residential developments. With this issue shining a spotlight on ‘living in Zuidas’, we decided to ask people on the street about what makes their house feel like home.
If Amsterdam were a more affordable place to live, I would love to move from Haarlem to Zuidas. What’s cool about Zuidas is how the whole feel of this area is shifting from all business to a fun place to hang out. I think Zuidas has developed into a nice part of Amsterdam to live in. Links with the city are also ideal. With the Noord/Zuid route you can be anywhere in no time. My dream would be to live in the Valley. That’s the nicest building in all of Zuidas. For me, a big table where I can have dinner and drinks with my friends is a must at home. Being with friends really makes me happy.
21
Hello People MINUTE? Text:
• Photography: Davide Gallery
Amanda Boesjes (32)
I’m looking for a flat at the moment and Zuidas would be perfect. I like all the energy and life here. I want some place that’s busy, because where I live now it is quiet and I’m looking for a place with interesting stuff going on. Give me a wellstocked fridge, a nice, cosy flat, and people around and things to do, and I’m happy.
Barry Viergever (34)
I wouldn’t really want to live in Zuidas. I like peace and privacy and couldn’t relax in this supercharged environment. Zuidas is perfect for working and so I love being a restaurant manager here. In Vinkeveen, where I live, it is incredibly serene. If I have to pick a favourite object at home, it’s my shower, because that’s where I can completely decompress. I’m the kind of person who’s always looking for ways to slow down in life. So, for example, I switched from working a full week to a Monday-to-Friday job. Ask me about living in Zuidas again in a couple years, when things have settled down a bit! Fleur Nuisker
Chris Umunyana (20)
Hans Drenth
BusinessENTERPRISESUPERCHARGINGATVUInTheSpotlight
“We’re hoping to really wow students in their first week back on campus”, Hans says with a big smile. The project of specially designed spaces grew out of one of the university’s three priority areas – ‘enterprising’ – and constitutes a creative approach to fulfilling this aim, he tells us. “That’s not to say we want to turn every student into an entrepreneur, but we are trying to do STARTHUB:
22
While students were off enjoying a break from their studies over the summer months, a container complex took shape on the campus of VU Amsterdam, set to house the VU StartHub starting this new academic year. The sleek finished pavilion will accommodate at least twentyfive start-ups and provide a launching pad for entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainability. Here, university students, staff and alumni can build their business ideas into something big with guidance from the hub’s mentors. StartHub director Hans Drenth filled us in about this new initiative to supercharge entrepreneurship within the VU community.
VU
23 everything to encourage those considering it and to keep the threshold as low as possible. It’s about trying to help people do something meaningful for the world.” Hans ties this to the value universities give back to society, which he argues is becoming more vital than ever: “We are creating job opportunities here and stimulating broader thinking.”
Excellent networking Start-ups with ties to VU Amsterdam can lease office spaces in the complex at low rents. In return, they get not only highspeed internet, Italian coffee and meeting rooms, but also a true community. “We provide access to a pool of dozens of enterprising alumni to mentor these young entrepreneurs”, Hans continues.
The VU StartHub also has partnerships with a range of major companies, which means excellent networking opportunities for all involved. “These organizations leapt at the chance to connect with promising young entrepreneurs, and for the start-ups a network of this kind can be hugely important.” In Zuidas, high-profile companies such as EY, Roland Berger and Deloitte have already joined the project, and Hans and his team welcome further such partnerships. “This puts organizations in touch with top-tier talent, gives them a unique selling point and reinforces their brand by making them part of this enterprising ecosystem. In fact, all companies can benefit from the enterprising and creative vibe when they organize a meeting or event in our pavilion.”
More information: orvu-ondernemend.nl/enscantheQR-code.
The community managers will ensure connection between startups and partners & mentors. Also interested? Send an email to hans.drenth@vu.nl
Text: Romy Lange & Tessa Burger • Photography: Nestor Tsakirakis, Studio Klijn & Too van Velzen
MIRJAM VAN PRAAG VU Executive Board President “Entrepreneurship is about so much more than putting a product or service on the market. It calls for attributes such as creativity, flexibility and perseverance; the ability to weather setbacks and cope with losses. These are skills we want to teach our students. An entrepreneurial attitude gets you so much “Entrepreneurshipfurther.”ispart of VU Amsterdam’s DNA. We wouldn’t exist without it. And I think every organization should embrace it. I’ve been researching it for more than thirty years and it continues to fascinate me. Studies show that entrepreneurship is not only a skill people are born with but one you can learn to a great extent. A university education turns out to be a big success factor. And, what’s more, companies that get their start at a university can translate scientific insights into innovative applications.”
Business In The Spotlight
A platform for all ideas What makes the project even more interesting, Hans says, is that the range of start-ups is exceptionally varied. That’s deliberate. “We want to serve all of VU Amsterdam, and so accordingly we want the VU StartHub to be a platform for every kind of enterprise.” At the moment, we have one that has developed a glove for people with spasticity, another that’s working on nutritional supplements to prevent specific allergies in infants, and a carbon-negative bamboo-based toilet roll import company. “And that’s just to name a few”, Hans laughs. “This project represents a gigantic boost for all of these start-ups and for entrepreneurial thinking at the university overall.”
Robot cleaners get scrubbing in WTC Amsterdam
ROBOTS HAVE ARRIVED
You may have spotted them scrubbing away if you’ve been around the World Trade Center recently. Three cleaning robots are the new weapon in the battle to make sure the complex remains spic and span. We caught up with them during a round of Central Hall to find out more. How do you like the work? Like the work? We love it. What more could we ask for? We’ve got a great job in a dynamic environment, we provide a service everyone needs and we get to meet so many different people and check out their footwear. Your human colleagues must be happy that you’ve relieved them of all that repetitive work and those never ending, time consuming floors. Are you taking over? Of course not. Cleaning is all about teamwork. Our human colleagues are the best and together we keep the WTC super tidy. Our non-metal coworkers have taught us all there is to know about the different spaces where we get to work our magic, but more importantly: the quality of service we want to provide. Make no mistake, cleaning is a really tailor-made service and we can’t do it without humans. It is them who make the mess after all.
Advertorial
The arrival of the robots is the latest in a string of innovations introduced by D&B The Facility Group. ‘Our partnership with CBRE has a focus on innovation and flexibility. We are both willing to experiment when it comes to new methods and innovation’, says Elmer Engel, Managing Director of the D&B cleaning services at WTC Amsterdam. ‘If we weren’t convinced of the added value, we would not be using the robots,’ says Sander Borggreve, Facility Manager for WTC Amsterdam. ‘But our robots have proved they can do the job.’ The WTC already uses other technology behind the scenes, such as the sensors to register which restrooms are being used and to check if there’s enough toilet paper and paper hand towels.
Quite true! We are very good at just getting on with the job. That isn’t to say we don’t enjoy a friendly pat or a conversation though, so next time you see us, why not stop for a chat?
Want
The WTC is the place to connect! We could exchange cleaning tips, or have a good gossip. You have no idea what people talk about in front of us! We’ve also heard you are able to take the elevator by yourself. Really? Of course we can. How else do you think we get to the car park to clean the floors there? We are quite independent, you know. Sometimes humans have no idea what robots are capable of. Join us in the elevator at Christmas and we might play you some cheesy music. What’s your favourite place in the WTC?
Is it really true that you are able to charge your own batteries and refresh your own cleaning water?
us? Read about our latest news and events! Elmer Engel General Manager The Cleaning Hosts, D&B The Facility Group Sander Borggreve Facility Manager at WTC Amsterdam “Shhhhhhh Shhhhhhh –Shhhhhhh” Robot Cleaning robot at WTC Amsterdam www.wtcamsterdam.com Advertorial
Technology delivers both high quality services for the WTC and its tenants, as well as potential cost reductions. ‘But equally importantly, they give my colleagues more time to do other work,’ says Elmer. ‘And believe me, there is still more than enough to do that sensors and robots can’t manage.’
Added value for a quality experience
The Blauwe Engel on Fridays! We love to dance. We’ve got the moves. Saturday is our day off so it is no problem if our batteries run down and we have to crawl home. to keep up with
This year’s Dutch Heritage Days (Open Monumentendagen) are all about sustainability, at the Botanic Garden in Zuidas, too! Even in urban and small spaces there are plenty of ways to go green. Expect a full programme of lectures, workshops and guided tours. For kids, there’s a pavement plant safari and creative nature crafting.
11 September ZUIDAS SUNDAY @ INNSiDE by Meliá Zuidas Today is kicking off a new season! But first, host Ruth Jansen teams up with INNSiDE by Meliá for a Zuidas Sunday Brunch for everyone keen to sample the Spanish Food Experience. The cost is €75 p.p., which includes an aperitif, 9 delicious Spanish dishes and a great time with a DJ and a fun group of people! For reservations, please cielo.innside.amsterdam@melia.comemail:12 September-8 October
CHANGING CLIMATE ON CANVAS @ CIRCL – www.circl.nl Looking for something different to do on your lunch break? Catch CIRCL’s stunning new exhibition of colourful paintings by Jos Brölmann, from his series Art of the Weather Map, picturing the changing climate. With the climate a hot topic in many organizations, there’s sure to be plenty of interest! 14-18 September MUZE VAN ZUID @ Amsterdam Zuid – www.muzevanzuid.nl Muze van Zuid is back for its 5th edition, with a wide lineup of top musicians. New this year are the unveiling of a portrait of Sweelinck in De Pijp and a special spotlight on female composers such as Jaddan Bai, Florence Price and Margaret Bonds in Zuidas. Come enjoy more than 30 concerts by 55 musicians and vocalists on streets and squares, in parks and living rooms and in churches and historic buildings across Amsterdam-Zuid.
AGENDA SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2022
LIVE MUSIC AT MANHATTAN LOUNGE BAR @ Crowne Plaza – www.crownplaza.com Step inside the Manhattan Lounge Bar and soak up the spirit of a genuine cocktail bar. Sip stellar signature cocktails mixed by our bartenders while enjoying the live music. For more info, email: anais.sheshekli@ihg.com
26 Agenda 8 & 22 September, 6 & 20 October
11 & 12 September OPEN MONUMENTENDAGEN @ Botanic www.openmonumentendag.nlGarden
22-25 September SHOP, GRAB & WIN @ www.gelderlandplein.nlGelderlandplein
15 September VU PRIDE – MOONLIGHT @ Rialto – www.rialtofilm.nl Rialto and VU Pride, the network for and by LHBTQIA+ students and staff at VU Amsterdam, are getting together again, this time to cohost Moonlight, the second film by director Barry Jenkins. Based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s stage play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, it tells the story of a young black American growing up and his world. The film won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor.
Covid-19, sky-rocketing inflation, issues in the housing, jobs and other markets, redistribution challenges and wealth tax legislation ruled to be in breach of property law have the administration facing deficits on multiple fronts. In this online webinar we’ll discuss changes in the Cabinet’s 2023 Tax Plan.
Thursdays 15 & 22 September
With every purchase of €15 or more at Gelderlandplein, you’ll receive a gold GG coin to redeem in the unique GoldGrabber on the central plaza, where you can snap up great prizes! Every day, we’ll be giving away 750 prizes, to a total value of more than €25,000. For the little ones, there’s also a special grabber with kiddie prizes. All prizes are donated by the shops and food outlets at Gelderlandplein.
The TechEx Event portfolio is an international conference and expo world series showcasing cutting-edge tech innovation in enterprise. Featuring real-life use cases and in-depth industry insights, the event series delves into the AI, Big Data, Blockchain, Cyber Security, 5G, IoT and Edge Computing ecosystems. Running for over six years, our co-located events strengths lie within our expert community. Thursday 22 September WEBINAR: 2023 TAX PLAN @ Online www.vanloman.comVanLoman
27 Agenda
WRITING IN ENGLISH FOR PROFESSIONALS @ Online Taalcentrum-VU – www.taalcentrum-vu.nl
You’ve written your fair share of emails, reports and internal memos in English, and you’re pretty confident about your English writing skills. But you still feel like your texts could sound more professional. You want to take your English to the next level, so you’re able to tailor your writing style to different types of contexts. Sound familiar? Then our Writing in English for professionals online training course is just what you’re looking for! Scan the QR-code for more information.
20 & 21 September TECHEX EUROPE @ RAI Amsterdam – www.rai.nl
Inclusive language is becoming increasingly important. You want to reach as wide an audience as possible, and it would be a shame if someone felt left out due to poor wording. But how exactly do you go about writing gender-inclusive emails, letters or other texts? Find out in this 30-minute webinar!
26-30 September
MARKET 33 6TH ANNIVERSARY @ Market 33 – www.market33.nl Mark you diary because this is one event you don’t want to miss. For one WHOLE WEEK (yes, you read right!) Market 33 is celebrating its anniversary, and everyone’s invited! Gin Thursday and Jazzy Friday are just two days you can look forward to during our crazy birthday bash. The rest is under wraps for now, but we promise a week packed with special deals and surprises. Don’t miss it!
Thursday 6 October FREE POWER WEBINAR ON GENDER-NEUTRAL WRITING @ Taalcentrum-VU www.taalcentrum-vu.nl(Online)
SUSTAINABLE MONEY SEEKS
28 Agenda
CIRCULAR ENTREPRENEUR @ CIRCL – www.circl.nl Het Versnellingshuis NL Circulair joins with CIRCL – ABN AMRO and Circular Finance Lab to host ‘Sustainable Money seeks Circular Entrepreneur’. During this event you’ll have a chance to meet a wide range of financiers with sustainable capital.
28 September
Thursdays 6 & 27 October SPEED DATING FOR AGES 28-40 & 25-38 @ à Deauville – www.aboutlove.nl During these speed dates you’ll meet 1520 other singles. Every four minutes, the bell sounds and half the singles move up a table, putting a different person across from you until you’ve met them all. After each date, tick on the form whether you want to get better acquainted: Yes or No?!
27 September & 25 October
DE THOMAS LUNCH BREAKS: FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE @ De Thomas – www.dethomas.nl What do you believe in? What inspires you? And why do you do what you do? In this series of three lunch break interviews, the Rev. Evert Jan de Wijer delves into these questions with our city’s idealists and talks with his guests about faith, hope and love. What do these concepts mean in this day and age? What motivates us at the deepest level, and where do we find fulfilment?
@ Rialto – www.rialtofilm.nl Now in its seventh year, the Israeli film festival Seret International is held annually at Rialto De Pijp and Rialto VU and offers a fascinating look into Israeli cinema. October BLACK MONTHACHIEVEMENTZUIDAS @ www.blackachievementmonth.nlZuidas Black Achievement Month is celebrated every year in October. The festival provides a showcase for exceptionally talented individuals with African roots. Zuidas is among the participating locations.
ISRAELIINTERNATIONAL:FILMFESTIVAL
Through 30 October ONCE UPON A TIME @ Museumplein www.once-upon-a-time.amsterdam4
TASTING THE MARKET @ Market 33 – www.market33.nl Market 33 and Lowlander beer are joining forces to welcome you to a fabulous tasting dinner. On 15 October, Market 33 will open on a Saturday for a very special occasion: a fusion of its flavours with artisanal Lowlander beers. A personalized four-course menu will be served and each course paired with a Lowlander beer to make the beverages just as enjoyable as the meal!
3 November HELLO ZUIDAS 10TH ANNIVERSARY @ Novotel Amsterdam City www.hellozuidas.com Hello Zuidas was founded on 1 January 2012, which means we’re celebrating our 10th anniversary this year! All Hello Zuidas members are invited to join us at the Novotel Amsterdam City for a special anniversary programme on 3 November. As usual, there will be a discussion programme followed by time to socialize.
15 October
Amsterdam’s museum quarter has added another jewel to its crown: the world’s most spectacular private collection of French clocks from around 1800. The beautiful sculptural gilt bronze clocks bring to life stories of love, seduction, desire and jealousy, as well as deceit and deception. Travel back in time to Paris! 28-31 October SERET
29 Agenda
GRACHTEN-FESTIVAL @ LOYENS & LOEFF HELLO YOU Photography: Roxanne Wilm30
Hello You
On Tuesday, 16 August, a select group of Hello Zuidas members got to enjoy a captivating concert by the Nederlands Saxofoon Octet on the outdoor rooftop terrace of Loyens & Loeff. The evening started with drinks and nibbles plus some lovely talks by Timo Huisman (lawyer at Loyens & Loeff), Marie Luce-Bree (director of the Grachtenfestival) and Olivier Otten (of Hello Zuidas). The lively and lighthearted tunes by the eight-piece band were enthusiastically received on this splendid summer evening.
31 Business In The Spotlight boosts the pleasure she and her colleagues take in their work, Véronique explains. Their good teamwork also contributes to better products. “We’ve all got a passion for the business and that’s reflected in our results.” Diversity Next to her day-to-day work, Véronique is also involved in recruiting graduates and juniors in the Securities department, which she describes as very rewarding. “As financial markets and institutions are evolving, this is the time to be a leader in creating a more diverse and inclusive work environment.” Fortunately, Van Lanschot Kempen shares Véronique’s view, and the firm is pursuing a variety of initiatives to enlarge workplace diversity. “It’s brilliant to see that our efforts are successful and that more and more people realize what an amazing employer Van Lanschot Kempen is.”
Véronique Meertens is an equity analyst at Van Lanschot Kempen, where she and her team analyse listed companies around the globe every day. As a renowned name in the industry, the firm shares its views with institutional investors on when to buy, hold or sell their shareholdings. We sat down with Véronique to talk about a typical day for her on the job. “My morning ritual is actually the same every day”, Véronique says with a laugh. “I start work at seven-thirty, because the stock market opens at nine and research analysts like me need to have sifted through all the news about our sector before then.” Which means there’s sometimes barely time to blink during that first hour and a half, she says. Clearly, though, Véronique loves it. “It’s full focus and we’re all working hard. Fueled by quite a bit of coffee”, she jokes. But effort is rewarded at Van Lanschot Kempen: “After that, we head out for a bite to eat with the whole team to blow off the morning’s steam.” What the rest of her working day looks like varies. Some days she liaises with clients and management teams, others she writes up reports, or she might take off to a meeting or property viewing abroad. Véronique enjoys it all. “My job is the ideal combination between an analytical and commercial role.” Good understanding Nobody at Van Lanschot Kempen minds the hard work. On the contrary, “entrepreneurship and proactivity are encouraged and we really are more than colleagues.” That understanding not only LANSCHOT KEMPEN Tessa Burger Meertens
“We andentrepreneurshipencourageproactivity” Text:
Van Lanschot Kempen Beethovenstraat 300 1077 WZ Amsterdam + 31 (0)20 348 80 www.werkenbijvanlanschotkempen.nlwww.vanlanschotkempen.nl00
• Photography: Nestor Tsakirakis, Studio Klijn Véronique
VAN
Residential Special
LIVING AT ZUIDAS
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Though fortunately the housing market is gradually picking up again, there is still much work to be done. Reinier van Dantzig, Amsterdam’s new deputy mayor for Housing and Urban Development, is ready for the challenge. After serving as the D66 party chair in the municipal council for over six years, now he’s eager to tackle this portfolio for his home town. For this special Homes and Living issue, we asked Reinier about his plans and ambitions. Reinier, how did you get into politics?
•
Amsterdam is in the thick of a true housing crisis. What are your plans for the city?
“Thankfully, housing construction is progressing very well. We are breaking one record after another and are far ahead of other cities. Still, with all the factors we’re up against now – from staff to equipment shortages – the municipality has to be ready to rapidly facilitate anyone who wants to build affordable homes. It’s a joint effort. I want to sit down with all parties to look at how we can build as much and as rapidly as possible, even if we don’t have quite the same wind in our sails we did before.”
Zuidas is part of your remit now. What’s your outlook on this area and its future? “My ambition for Zuidas is for it to evolve into an urban centre with a nice mix of housing and employment. We need some more life in the area for that, with more going on for people during evenings and weekends. Eating and drinking are part of that – and we’ve got those covered here – but so are art and culture. With its amazing architecture and outstanding urban design, the district is obviously already an icon for the city, but with more social and cultural institutions it could develop into something even more beautiful.
A place people go outside office hours. Either way, there’s no question that Amsterdam as a whole can be proud of this district and the leading developments here.”
“I rolled into politics in 2012 during a student work placement in the Dutch Senate. That was for D66, and it was where I took my first steps into the political arena and discovered you can make a real difference in this field. To be fair, the Senate is pretty far removed from people’s day-to-day experience. I decided to run for the municipal council, as from there you can have a real impact on people’s lives. The housing market and housing construction were already part of my remit, and now, years later, I’ve been lucky enough to become deputy mayor.” Growing up, did you ever imagine yourself in this job?
“Haha, not really, no. I did always feel that I wanted to give back to society somehow and politics always interested me. But to actually become a politician? That wasn’t my plan. But then, I think many of us don’t know what they want to do at that age. Fun fact: I actually went to school nearby and had PE at the St. Nicolaaslyceum, so I was here all the time when the district was only a miniature version of what it is now. Zuidas and I go way back!” As deputy mayor, what’s you take on all the cabinet’s plans?
Text:
33 Residential Special
“I think it’s a good thing that people across the political spectrum are now concerned about the housing crisis. It’s heartening that everyone finally understands the need for affordable housing. It also means Amsterdam is no longer a lone voice, like we used to be. Homes had been getting unaffordable here for years, but other areas of politics just shrugged it off. The attention the housing issue is getting now is positive. That said, we need to make sure to keep on top of it. The most important thing is building affordable and sustainable homes as fast as possible.”
“Zuidas is becoming even more of an icon for Amsterdam”
Reinier van Dantzig Tessa Burger Photography: Nestor Tsakirakis, Studio Klijn
Residential Special
Bas Wilberts, Nisreen Awad & Ronald Koemans
SAVILLS: “REAL ESTATE IS ALL ABOUT THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, THAT’S OUR STRENGTH”
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From managing office buildings and residential complexes, conducting property appraisals to project management, Savills does it all. This includes advising clients who are looking to invest in real estate. With many years of experience and an outstanding reputation both nationally and internationally, Savills is well-equipped to guide development in this sector. This edition is all about Living. We sat down with Bas Wilberts, Ronald Koemans and Nisreen Awad of Savills’ Residential & Hotel Investment team to find out how they are tackling the challenges in today’s market.
Nisreen concludes: “It’s a complex area for sure, but we’re happy to help clients navigate it. Our extensive research and personal advice sets us apart from others in this sector.”
Different mindset Together, the three and their team work on a myriad of projects all over the Netherlands. They say that they are seeing a lot of positive development in Rotterdam. In fact, the City of Amsterdam could learn a thing or two from this growth. “Rotterdam has been significantly developing the city centre and surrounding neighbourhoods”, Ronald explains, “which is making those areas more pleasant and attractive to live in. They’re also leveraging this by maximizing the opportunities the port city has for high-rise building.” Nisreen adds, “It’s a different kind of mindset and one which the rest of the country would do well to follow.” The three property professionals have seen that this forward-looking approach can make a big difference in the current market. “Things can get tangled up in all the new rules and measures”, Bas notes. “It can easily be several years before you have a solid plan and get the ball rolling. With the right attitude and the ability to improvise, things can actually move a whole lot faster.” Right product, right place That said, more needs to happen to create equal opportunities across the housing market and prevent it from getting even more lopsided. With so many people now having difficulty finding a suitable home, Ronald says it makes sense to start thinking outside the box. “The crux is supplying viable products for empty nesters, to make downsizing more interesting for this large group, who own relatively large homes.” The problem, according to Ronald, is that “there are not enough desirable new-build homes to serve empty nesters, as a result of which they are staying put after their kids have ‘flown’. If we could get this group moving, it would get the whole chain moving as well.” Ronald continues, “Real estate can be a long-winded game. It’s important to make the most of what’s available now and analyse what can be developed in the future. In the current system, we need housing for a group who can’t purchase a home themselves. They need assistance, and that assistance has to come from the group who can afford it. In other words, a big chunk of the profits being raised from residential developments and the rental market have to be diverted to people with insufficient means.” Bas agrees. “But, the thing is, you can only help these people if profits in the higher segment are high enough. If they go down in the coming years, which seems likely, those at the lower end can no longer be compensated.” And so, it’s time to start rethinking investments in the higher segment, Ronald contends. “As soon as things start moving at the top, the whole residential chain will benefit and prices will eventually stabilize.”
Savills Amsterdam Claude Debussylaan 48 1082 MD www.savills.nlAmsterdam
Residential Special Text: Romy Lange & Tessa Burger • Photography: Davide Gallery
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“Real estate has always run like a red thread through my career, in all kinds of forms”, says Nisreen. “Right now, I’m pursuing that passion in my role as Senior Transaction & Process Consultant, where I’m coordinating and optimizing processes within my own team as well as for our clients.” Bas shares her affinity for real estate and is in his element as Head of Residential & Hotel Investment. “I specialize in property sales and acquisitions and I research opportunities for alternative use in established asset classes.” Ronald, a Director in the Residential Investment team, buys and sells large-scale housing portfolios, new-build developments and student housing. “I’m especially interested in assessing how existing real estate can be used most effectively.”
101 1082MT, www.manhattanbar.nlAmsterdam
See you Sthere ee you there Live music
GCocktailsreatfoodGeorgeGerschwinlaan
“It’s tough, of course, particularly in a city like Amsterdam. But supply is picking up now that the frenzy has abated, and while interest rates have risen in recent months, lending capacity has hardly been affected.
De Hypotheker
It’s unbelievable that right now there are people who can’t get a mortgage above 1,200 euros and are forced to rent a place for 2,000 a month instead. Paying isn’t the problem, but getting a mortgage for that amount? Not a chance. The system, which is very old anyway, isn’t keeping pace with how the market is evolving. Which means you’ll never get the internal movement that’s so urgently needed, especially now. There is a ton of ways to shake up the market, but you’ve got to be more broadminded about it.”
“The good news is that supply is opening up and there are more opportunities compared to a few months ago. However, what’s coming on the market now is nowhere near enough to meet all the demand. True, overbidding is levelling off, but there is still a shortage of homes. The government could do something about that: basically, they need to start building like crazy. And let’s hope that will be enough.” What other ways are there to give more people a fair shot at a home? “What we need first of all is a more flexible financing approach, for instance by focusing more on people’s actual budget.
Though the housing market appears to be somewhat cooling down, buying a home is still an incredibly complicated process. For this special Homes and Living issue, we asked Thomas van Splunteren for advice. This veteran consultant at mortgage broker De Hypotheker in WTC Amsterdam shares his view on current market
The most important thing with higher rates is factoring those higher monthly costs into your budget. As a consultant, I’m your sparring partner and together we’ll draw up a plan tailored to your budget and then we look at the options.” What are your predictions for the housing market?
Thomas van Splunteren 37 Residential Special Text: Tessa Burger & Romy Lange • Photography: Jaiwey Nuij
“THE MORTGAGE SYSTEM IS NOT KEEPING PACE WITH EVOLVING MARKET”
Questions about a mortgage or refinancing? New to mortgages and need advice? Let Thomas help! De Hypotheker Amsterdam Zuidas Strawinskylaan 1427 1077 XX Amsterdam +31 (0) 20 662 14 www.hypotheker.nlamsterdam1135@hypotheker.nl11
Whatdevelopments.aretheodds of finding the right home at the right price these days?
38 Architecture Q Residences is a new-build project nearing completion at the edge of Zuidas. The project consists of two buildings: Quartz and its lower alter ego Qube. Situated on the corner of Buitenveldertselaan and Van Nijenrodeweg, the location is spacious and light-filled with plenty of greenery, offers fast connections by road and public transportation and has excellent schools, fitness and recreational amenities nearby. All of which make Q Residences an exceptional project! Address Buitenveldertselaan 66-96 1082 KM Amsterdam Architect Jeanne Gang Chicago-basedof architecture firm Studio Gang Developer Kroonenberg Groep in collaboration with NEOO Contractor J.P. van Eesteren Completed in 2022 Floors Quartz: 23, Qube: 8 Height Quartz: 75 metres Qube: 30 metres ARCHITECTURE
Architecture
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• Several art objects and designs have been created for the public areas, including the stunning light sculpture by Studio Molen that greets residents inside the foyer.
Photography: Davide Gallery Ramón Mossel & Maurice Meijer
Maurice Meijer, commercial managerresidential at Kroonenberg Groep: “Q Residences combines a perfect location with high-end architectural design. Quartz, the northern high-rise, is set to be a real landmark. The iconic design is by Studio Gang, one of the world’s most renowned architecture firms. The low-rise Qube, to the south, completes the picture. The new residential complex has 248 rental units in its two buildings flanking an elegantly landscaped plaza, plus space for dining, lifestyle and retail on the ground floor and some 130 parking spaces in the underground car park. Q Residences overlooks the Gijsbrecht van Aemstel Park and its tree-lined surroundings, and Amsterdamse Bos is just a stone’s throw away. Residing here means relaxed living with metropolitan hotspots just a stroll or bike ride away”
• The undulating façades make Quartz feel almost cuddly, creating a soothing sensory counterpoint to modern-day digital life. For more information please visit: www.q-residences.nl.
Text: Romy Lange •
Ramón Mossel, owner of real estate agency Ramón Mossel Makelaardij: “All kinds of features throughout the building add value for residents, the neighbourhood and city.
Q Residences is about shaping the best possible living experience. Everything contributes, from the building’s personality to the detailing of public spaces inside and outside. Q Residences is truly an exceptional addition to this area. Every home is delivered as good as finished and excels in luxury design choices, including a top-of-the-line kitchen, light-filled tiled bathroom and of course underfloor heating.
The same goes for the entrance and public areas, where special attention has been paid to the materials of all the interior elements. Quartz also has a reception desk staffed 24/7. People want to feel at home. By offering quality and service, what would be an anonymous building becomes personal.” Facts • The planting design is by the Netherlands’ foremost landscape architect, Piet Oudolf.
• Quartz is deliberately set back slightly from the pavement to create an open square out front, similar to iconic skyscrapers in major metropolises like Chicago and New York.
Stilte. Zo zeldzaam dat het als rijkdom wordt ervaren. Weidse uitzichten en een overdaad aan frisse buitenlucht. Het zijn hooguit zingende vogels of een af en toe passerend bootje waardoor je beseft dat je niet alleen bent.
De verkoop van 13 royale kavels voor onder architectuur te bouwen high end watervilla’s is reeds gestart. Vanaf € 2.000.000,- v.o.n. In collegiale verkoop met Amsterdam Sotheby’s International Realty. Amstel Eiland biedt de zeldzame kans om letterlijk in de Amstel te wonen. Om op een steenworp afstand van Amsterdam volledig omgeven te zijn door natuur. En om veilig omringd door water en onder het wakend oog van een conciërge, van je privacy te genieten. De Lairessestraat 16 Amsterdam +31 (0)20 6766633 info@heulemakelaars.nl Frederikspark 1 Haarlem +31 (0)23 7370468 haarlem@heulemakelaars.nl www.heulemakelaars.nl
• Vraagprijs € 3.450.000,- k.k.
• Woonoppervlakte 177 m2
• Royaal terras van ca. 18 m2 op het westen
•gezinshuis.Woonoppervlakte 269 m2
Uniek pand bestaande uit een luxe drie-laags benedenhuis met diepe tuin, alsmede 3 afzonderlijk verhuurde bovenwoningen met een een jaarhuur van maar liefst € 69.600,- dat ruimschoots uw hypotheek dekt. De mogelijkheid bestaat hier om te wonen én te beleggen!
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• Parkeerplaats t.b.v. 2 auto’s separaat te koop € 250.000,- k.k.
• Vraagprijs € 2.000.000,- k.k.
• Duurzaam gebouwd, energielabel A+++
• Hoogwaardig afgewerkt
Prachtige begane grond appartement in het prestigieuze “The Glass House”. Een hoogwaardig en luxe appartementencomplex (2012) met oog voor detail en kwaliteit. Het ontwerp voorziet in extra hoge plafonds en het gebruik van voornamelijk glas in de gevels aan de tuinzijde.
Solitudolaan 406 - Amsterdam
• Er zijn eventueel 2 parkeerplaatsen beschikbaar (€ 145.000,- k.k.)
• Vraagprijs € 2.250.000,- k.k. Amsteldijk 58 L - Amsterdam-Zuid
• Woonoppervlakte 135 m2, berging 20 m2 en ruime tuin 41 m2
• In 2012/2013 volledig luxe verbouwd
Hobbemakade 30 A - Amsterdam-Zuid
• Riante tuin gelegen op het zuiden • Op een uitstekende locatie in Zuid
Jan van Eijckstraat 7h - Amsterdam-Zuid
Briljant wonen aan de Amstel! Recent opgeleverd penthouse met een woonoppervlakte van ca. 177 m2. Voorzien van alle gemakken, veel licht en ruimte én een schitterend uitzicht over de Amstel. Dit is een plek waar u zich direct op uw gemak voelt. De locatie is perfect. Aan de ene kant de Amstel en aan de andere kant De Pijp.
Voor exclusief wonen METROPOOL REGIO AMSTERDAM
• Huismeester aanwezig • Gelegen op eigen grond dus geen erfpacht
• Woonoppervlakte benedenhuis: 203,8 m2
• Woonoppervlakte drie bovenwoningen: elk 57,6 m2 De woning is ook nog te vergroten d.m.v. een opbouw, een uitbouw en/of een tuinhuis Perceeloppervlakte: 239 m2 Vraagprijs op aanvraag
•
Op een heerlijke locatie in Amsterdam Zuid bieden wij dit riante dubbelbreed benedenhuis aan van maar liefst 269 m 2 Deze woning is uniek: een begane grond van 190 m 2 , een prachtige tuin op het zuiden van 100 m2 en twee kelders van in totaal 41 m 2 . Het huis is gezien de vele kamers ideaal als
PLATFORMZUIDAS’IN
42
The mission of Hello Zuidas is to ensure Zuidas looks and operates at its best for all people and organizations active in the district. To optimize local developments, the foundation promotes activities in key areas via a number of platforms. One of them is ‘Living in Zuidas’ – Wonen in Zuidas. For this issue, we asked chairman Michiel de Bruine and secretary Rinske Berg to explain the whys and wherefores of this platform.
Rinske Berg & Michiel de Bruine
Residential Special
EXPLAINING ‘LIVING
“The platform is made up of Hello Zuidas members who are active in the housing and lifestyle domain in Zuidas. This includes our colleagues at the Amsterdam-Zuidas Development Office as well as property agents, developers and investors. In addition to our members, we also regularly invite local residents to join as a sounding board.” Text: Céline Boute • Photography: Roxanne Wilm & Trevor Holtkamp
What sorts of topics are discussed at these meetings?
43
What else do you have planned for this year?
“Zuidas is coming into its own as a mixed-use urban neighbourhood where people come to live, work, learn, play and relax. With residential stock set to grow substantially in the coming years, Living in Zuidas was set up in 2017 as a knowledge platform in which a variety of public and private entities within the Hello Zuidas community can meet twice a year to share inspiration, information and experiences related to Zuidas.”
“The platform has an agenda that includes long-term urban planning, retail and hospitality services, zoning plans, indoor bike facilities, green space and public areas. We also try to have a unique and beautiful location host each meeting.
Can anyone attend?
Residential Special
Are you a Hello Zuidas member, interested in attending the next Living in Zuidas meeting, and not yet on our mailing list? Send an email to Rinske Berg, secretary of the Living in Zuidas platform, at rinske.berg@hellozuidas.com.
“We’ll be holding our second meeting of the year on Tuesday, 15 November. This afternoon will be hosted by the Zuidas Information Centre in the WTC and will be a great opportunity to review various projects that are in the works and which are part of the scale model of Zuidas displayed there. This edition will focus in particular on social housing and mid-market rentals in Zuidas. There’s a lot happening on this front in Zuidas and Amsterdam generally.”
What is the purpose of the Living in Zuidas platform?
On Monday, 30 May, we had another very constructive Living in Zuidas meeting, focusing this time on ‘Zuidas in 2030’. It was a fascinating afternoon hosted by GREEN and Molteni & C | Dada on the 26th floor of Valley, during which we delved into the myriad opportunities and challenges surrounding the future of living in Zuidas.’’
Watch Juliette’s full account on fyeo.nl/ervaringen/juliette Glasses on, glasses off, glasses on, glasses off. Forgot your glasses. ItPanic.drove me nuts at one point. Juliette WITHOUTLIFEGLASSES Simply see well again, without the help of glasses or contact lenses. Just imagine: reading, exercising, texting, driving, all without hassle. Take the first step to freedom and book a free and non-binding preliminary examination at www.fyeo.nl AMSTERDAM BREDA EERSEL EINDHOVEN NIJMEGEN URMOND LASER EYE SURGERY | LENS IMPLANTATION FREEPRELIMINARYEXAMINATIONFORYOUREYES
Location Nieuwe Rede is part of Leimuiden, a modern village with all required amenities surrounded by the endless polders of the lush Groene Hart region. From your back garden you can enjoy panoramic views and the evening sun, hear the birds overhead and listen to the soothing sounds of rippling water and rustling reeds. Leimuiden’s convenient location near the A4 motorway means the bustling cities of Amsterdam and Leiden as well as the beach at Noordwijk, are all exceptionally close by, giving the best of both worlds.
LIVINGWATERFRONT
More information? +31 (0)71 341 24 www.nieuwerede.nlwonen@nieuwerede.nl89
LEIMUIDENIN
Natural feel This unique residential project has very energy efficient , gasless homes of several types. There are detached, semi-detached and a few terraced houses, with flat roofs alternating with generous, gently sloped rooftops. The architectural design is consistent across all properties and in keeping with the natural feel of the new neighbourhood.
45 Residential Special
Spacious waterside gardens
About as close to nature as can be, Nieuwe Rede sits on a dyke circling of one of the Netherlands’ endless and infinitely picturesque polders. All of the homes feature large gardens and most are situated directly overlooking the main waterway, inland channels or marina. A few are located right at the edge of the vast polder, facing south and enjoying sweeping views and unparalleled vistas. The overhangs, terraces and the low, lightcoloured architecture enhance the outdoor feeling, with lovely trees, hedges and park on canal ring side completing the picture.
Text: Tessa Burger & Romy Lange Do you dream of living surrounded by nature and water? You can, at Nieuwe Rede in Leimuiden. This unique, contemporary new-build project boasts a beautiful, completely natural landscape setting with homes that are exceedingly comfortable and full of character. The sale of phase 2c starts on 3 September.
This September, Amsterdam will host the World Padel Tour, the world’s largest padel tournament. Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, is the first official partner of the WPT Amsterdam Open as well as a partner of Plaza Padel. Dentons Benelux Managing Officer Marien Glerum and WPT Amsterdam Open Director John van Lottum told us what makes Dentons and padel such a perfect match.
DENTONS AND PADEL: THECHALLENGINGSTATUSQUO
Dentons sees many parallels between their own DNA and that of padel. “Padel is the fastest growing sport in the Netherlands,” Glerum says. “It’s fresh, high-paced and competitive. It’s also a sport that everyone can play, and it’s always team-based. Our colleagues now play together at Plaza Padel on a weekly basis, we offer clinics for students as an informal way to get to know us and we are organizing year-round events for clients and business contacts. This makes padel a great way to nurture
46 Business In The Spotlight
“We had been thinking for some time about what sort of partnership would be a good fit for us,” Marien Glerum explains. “We’re a young and dynamic law firm that does things a bit differently, that challenges the status quo. Dentons has been active in the Netherlands for five years now, during which we have more than doubled in terms of both revenue and headcount. And after two years of largely working from home, (re)connecting with all our stakeholders is one of our main priorities.”
The World Padel Tour Amsterdam Open is coming to the Netherlands! From September 28 to October 2, the best male and female padel players will come to Amsterdam. That will be padel, Spanish conviviality, spectacle and sensation for 5 days. But it is also a networking event in a unique way. Not a traditional business club, but we have our own ‘mercado de padel’! with Spanish vibes and the best snacks and drinks for you and your friends, colleagues or relations. With your Deluxe ticket you claim the best seats in the VIP grandstand for no less than €99.00 (incl. €30 catering value).
47 Business In The Spotlight
Text: Romy Lange • Photography: left page and portrait Marien Glerum: Davide Gallery Will we see you with your colleagues, friends or relations during the World Padel Tour Amsterdam Open? Then scan the QR-code and buy your VIP tickets.
John van Lottum & Marien Glerum
Marien Glerum talent, build relationships and bring people together. Finally, the combination of an international tournament that will welcome the best padel players in the world and the six (and counting) Plaza Padel locations firmly rooted in communities all around the Netherlands made this partnership very appealing.” Appeal to the business community “We are very excited to have the World Tour coming to Amsterdam. An international tournament of this calibre will really help us further advance the sport in the Netherlands,” says John van Lottum, WPT Amsterdam Open Director and co-creator of Plaza Padel. “To have a global firm like Dentons align itself with this new sport in the way it has is very energizing and a big confidence booster for our organization. Padel is getting bigger, in the corporate world as well. Corporate contacts might arrange to meet on the padel courts and company tournaments are also becoming more popular. But people who come to play for business wind up coming back again later with their families. It’s mutually reinforcing, and there’s overlap between the B2B and B2C markets.” Glerum affirms Van Lottum’s observation: “Padel brings many opportunities to build new connections and strengthen existing ones, both in the corporate world and in broader society. We believe in this sport and love the ambition and passion of the people behind WPT Amsterdam Open and Plaza Padel. With the professional tournament being held here for three years in a row and the growing number of places to play casually throughout the country all year long, we are confident padel will soon be one of the most popular sports in the Netherlands. And in the short-term, we are looking forward to seeing padel take over Amsterdam at the end of this month!”
“It’s fresh, high-paced and competitive – a perfect match for Dentons.’’
“Voordat je met elkaar in zee gaat, wil je weten wat je voor elkaar kunt betekenen“, begint Karel. “Het leven en bedrijf van onze klanten staan met elkaar in verbinding. Wij stemmen die dynamische werelden op elkaar af.” Jonge ondernemers staan voor een aantal vragen. “’Hoe kan ik slim en snel mijn droomhuis financieren?’, is er zo één”, zegt Bas. “Maak ook vragen als: ’Welke investering doe ik vanuit mijn holding en welke privé?’ en ‘Hoe zorg ik dat ik straks financieel vrij ben?’”
Dan is het goed om te weten dat er iemand meekijkt. Private bankers Bas (26 jaar) en Karel (30 jaar) zijn die oplettende ogen. Zij houden de vinger aan de pols.
Veel jonge ondernemers gaan hard. “De groei zit er vaak flink in”, gaat Karel verder. “Ze hebben behoefte aan een gesprekspartner op financieel gebied. Iemand die hun tempo bijhoudt en weet wat er in de wereld te koop is. Die wereld is met vastgoed, private equity en NFT’s groter dan alleen de traditionele beleggingsvormen.” De private bank is laagdrempelig, nuchter en zonder poespas. “Onze klanten willen persoonlijk contact, snelheid, efficiëntie en zoveel mogelijk digitaal, dat ondersteunt ze in hun groei”, schetst Bas. “En zo groeien wij met ze mee.”
Snel tot de kern
Als jonge ondernemer sta je aan het roer van een veelbelovend bedrijf. Met de koers zit ’t wel goed. Het harde werken wordt beloond. Maar vol in de actie wil je jezelf nog wel eens vergeten.
Focus op groei
“ We doen eerst een financiële analyse. Zo maken we de aandachtspunten en behoeften concreet”.
Het team van ABN AMRO MeesPierson Amsterdam
Next
Duidelijke verwachtingen
privatelevelbankingOoginoogmetdenieuwegeneratie
“We doen eerst een scherpe financiële analyse”, geeft Karel aan. “Zo maken we de aandachtspunten en behoeften concreet.” Het zorgt voor financieel inzicht. “Hoe eerder je tot de kern komt, hoe beter. Dan kun je gericht gaan sturen en je vermogen voor je laten werken.” Ook de toekomstige overdracht komt aan bod. “Het is fiscaal gunstig om je kinderen nu al jaarlijks een schenking te doen,”, zegt Bas. “En met een optimale structuur houd je het vermogen ook na je overlijden zoveel mogelijk in stand.” Met een frisse blik Er is veel kennis en expertise in huis, de jonge private bankers zorgen voor een frisse wind. “Van een maatwerkkrediet voor je commercieel vastgoed tot een brede inkomensbepaling voor de hypotheek van je nieuwe huis”, vertelt Bas. De specialisten helpen ondernemers op belangrijke momenten in hun leven. “Als je na de komst van je eerste kindje een second opinion wil over je testament, bijvoorbeeld”, voegt Karel toe. “Of als je het fijn vindt om te weten of je eerder kunt stoppen met werken.”
Commercial Banking Jonge ondernemers die met hun bedrijf klant zijn bij de bank, vinden een stevige gesprekspartner in de jonge relatiemanagers van de zakelijke bank.
Actief in verbinding
In verbinding met de nieuwe generatie
• Karel Goeijenbier, 06-82206510 of karel.goeijenbier@nl.abnamro.com
• Voor een financiering: Voor een jonge ondernemer die voor de volgende stap van zijn bedrijf een financiering zoekt, is een pitch bij Informal Investment Services een mooie kans.
•FilantropieadviesVoorondernemers: De nieuwe generatie ondernemers wil met hun bedrijf graag iets terugdoen voor de maatschappij, gelijkgestemde adviseurs staan klaar om ze te helpen hun ideeën vorm te geven.
• Bas Kempers, 06-23533181 of bas.kempers@nl.abnamro.com
“Het leven en bedrijf van onze klanten staan met elkaar in verbinding. Wij stemmen die dynamische werelden op elkaar af.”
Next Jonge mensen die uitzicht hebben op een flink vermogen van hun familie, hebben bij Next een eigen coach die ze helpt met hun financiële zaken en ze begeleidt naar hun financiële toekomst.
“Zo kunnen wij nog beter aansluiten op de behoeften van deze ondernemende jonge vrouwen”, zegt Karel.
• Voor families: Als familie iets betekenen voor de maatschappij wint steeds meer terrein, onze filantropieadviseurs zorgen ervoor dat ‘oud’ en ‘jong’ aan bod komen.
Eén op één schakelen
Direct een afspraak maken?
Neem dan contact op met:
“Voor klanten zijn wij één bank”, benadrukt Bas. “Dat ene aanspreekpunt zijn wij. We zijn altijd bereikbaar, ook buiten kantoortijden. Per whatsapp, beeldbankieren, bij de klant of op ons kantoor, de klant bepaalt.” Voor Karel is het helder. “We zijn alert en denken actief met onze klanten mee. Zo kunnen we ze verrassen met mooie kansen en relevante informatie over nieuwe wetgeving of belastingregels. Door steeds te doen wat je belooft, groeit het vertrouwen”, zegt hij tot slot.
Roan Ingrid PhaedraTimothy KarelBas
“We zien een snelgroeiend aantal jonge vrouwelijke ondernemers”, gaat hij verder. “Onze vrouwelijke bankers hebben voor deze groep een netwerk opgericht. Vier keer per jaar ontmoeten we elkaar in het bedrijf van een vrouwelijke ondernemer. We delen kennis en ervaringen en helpen en inspireren elkaar.” Het zorgt voor nieuwe inzichten.
In en om Amsterdam beschikken steeds meer jonge mensen door hun bedrijf of een erfenis uit de familie over een vermogen. Ze weten vaak heel goed wat ze willen in het leven. Voor het beheer van hun vermogen hebben ze behoefte aan ondersteuning. Maar wel in hun eigen taal en op een manier die bij ze past. Speciaal voor hen staat bij ABN AMRO een nieuwe generatie bankers opgesteld. Elk met hun eigen expertise, maar zeker ook in verbinding met elkaar. Alles onder één dak.
• Voor een investering: Een jonge ondernemer die met zijn geld, kennis en netwerk wil investeren in andere jonge ondernemers vindt de juiste match via de ‘datingservice’ Informal Investment Services.
Informal Investment Services
Text: Céline Boute • Photography: Roxanne Wilm
“There is a colossal housing shortage in this country, particularly of affordable homes. A home is a fundamental life need, and you can have a huge impact by investing in housing, so that’s very interesting to me. Given our long-term focus, we invest not only in buildings but also in locations – and in enhancing them, which plays an essential role. For me, the concept of the sustainable living environment is very important. That’s also part of the great appeal of investing in Zuidas. With the strategy, institutional investors can not only make societal impact, but can also count on stable financial returns. To me, that combination is very worthwhile and interesting.”
HELLO ZUIDAS INTRODUCES
“Bouwinvest has investments in Zuidas as well, in Summertime, Rivers and Hourglass, mainly because of these positive long-term developments. When Summertime was built, Zuidas was still primarily an office district, and I’m all for its shift towards a mixeduse location. And for more housing as well, to liven things up, but I think it’s coming to be a premier residential, working and leisure location.” How did you come to join the Supervisory Board of Hello Zuidas? And what do you do in your role?
What makes real estate such an interesting field to work in?
“In general, Bouwinvest has an active role in these kind of networks. We believe it is essential to share our own knowledge and being open to the ideas and insights of others. This is one of the reasons I was approached for this supervisory role with a focus on HR tasks. I also chair the Living in Zuidas platform, which puts me in close contact with Olivier, Angela and Rinske. Hello Zuidas has played an immensely important role in that. The team does a great job of representing the district’s interests, and I recommend all organizations become members.”
Michiel de Bruine DEMICHIELBRUINE
Supervisory Board 50 Interview
“Bouwinvest is a real estate investment management company mainly for pension funds, and I’ve been there for 17 years now. We focus on long-term investments and at the moment manage roughly 15.7 billion euros across a variety of sectors and regions domestically and abroad. I oversee a residential fund holding a portfolio of about 20,000 homes with more than 30 pension funds as clients. The main pillars of this fund are quality, affordability and sustainability. I head up a team of asset managers, technical managers, communications and marketing staff and a tenant engagement team. Working with a team and building things up together really energizes me. And it’s a great feeling to take people to greater heights, challenge them and encourage one another along.”
Hello Zuidas Strawinskylaan 61 1077 XW www.hellozuidas.comAmsterdam
With more than twenty years’ experience in the real estate sector, Michiel de Bruine is ideally suited to chair the Living in Zuidas platform and is a passionate member of the Hello Zuidas Foundation’s Supervisory Board. Michiel, you work at Bouwinvest. Can you tell us about your role there?
Continual development is a fact of life in Zuidas.
What’s your perspective on this as a property specialist?
ZUIDAS:UNITESTHATFUELTHE COFFEE
51 Business In The Spotlight
Illycaffè, the global leader in high-quality, sustainable coffee, introduces illy SMART. A new collection of coffee machines developed to meet the workplace needs of small to medium-sized offices. And to match employee expectations with the best quality and design. illy SMART machines are manufactured in Italy for guaranteed quality and reliability, and are available in three models to cater for everyone who wants excellent coffee fast. With its clean, elegant look and trademark compact structure, the illy SMART10 is the smallest of the line, while the modern design of the illy SMART30 makes it the ideal model for any office and style. Specifically for larger offices, the illy SMART50 is a functional and versatile machine with a display offering three programmable beverage sizes plus an automated capsule disposal system. This model also comes in the illy SMART50W hot water version. Coffee is a key ingredient of office life. Research shows that good coffee boosts worker satisfaction and lifts workplace spirits. Approximately half of the workforce report feeling more productive when drinking a cup of coffee, and the majority of Dutch people believe they would be less productive without it. What is more, serving good coffee enhances perceptions of our surroundings and makes your clients and customers feel welcome. Knowing this, you want to be sure your coffee tastes great and that your machines are brewing what employees want.
PROPERTY
in Amsterdam. “Since we were going to build the bicycle parking garage, we could redevelop the formal ‘5 hoek’ as a new public space known now as Prinses Amaliaplein. That was my first step in enriching the public space and creating a community feel. This square is representative in being a mix of business district and Minerva neighbourhood kids.” Alessandro also had a major hand in developing the grounds of the nhow hotel, crafting a sinuous, soft counterpoint to the hotel’s hard lines, and is involved in landscaping plans for the Vivaldi subdistrict and Kop Zuidas. The greening city Zuidas is gradually becoming a greener, softer, more tranquil and pleasant place to visit and hang out. “Getting people to make the mental switch that they can’t always park their car or bike right outside their door is a process. It will change in time, I hope. As of 2022, we have more public areas, more vegetation and fewer parking spaces. A greening city is one Any project aimed at change, repurposing or improvement starts with a meticulously thought out design. As a landscape architect, Alessandro has been involved from the outset, from the concept phase straight through to the realization. Originally from Italy, he fell in love with The Netherlands during a work placement in Rotterdam 15 years ago and now makes his beautifully designed home
52 Property Corporate Zuidas has been slowly transforming into a residential area with small businesses and amenities in recent years. A place where workers in suits cross paths with playing children and locals out walking their dogs. But does it also feel like a community?
The Zuidas municipal office is working hard to bring a recreational dimension to the district’s public areas. Over the past six years, landscape architect Alessandro Solci has played a pivotal role in those designs for Zuidas. His personal vision and that of his colleague centres on a greening city: a city with more public areas, more vegetation and fewer parking spaces as the basis for a thriving, vibrant community.
“Together, we can make Zuidas a vibrant district with a thriving community”
53
Text: Céline Boute • Photography: Caily Bobbie Jo
Property that is more vibrant and appealing. So that’s my personal goal.” What’s more, in Alessandro’s design process, he focuses on climate adaptation and in solving rain bursts or heat waves, greenery has a vital role. Multiple studies show that vegetation has a moderating effect on temperatures in urban areas, thus reducing demand for air conditioning in summer and heating in winter. That’s a win-win, not only saving costs but also making public areas more pleasant for everyone using them. “The municipality is trying to set up as many community and information evenings as possible to connect with area residents and ask them what’s missing from the public areas, what’s important to them and what they’d like to see added.” Connection The biggest challenge lies in merging the needs of two different target groups: local residents and the business district. Zuidas is pulling off an incredible metamorphosis by fusing these two polar opposites, Alessandro notes. Beyond these efforts to design a more vibrant Zuidas community, he is also active in the RAN (Roze Ambtenaar Netwerk) as an advocate for the LGBTI+ community at various organizations. “I look for ways that public spaces can serve this group of people, such as the rainbow roof on Zuidplein. That’s a different layer of my career in which I’m working to strengthen links between different target groups.” Another way to vitalize the area, Alessandro says, is to bring in more small merchants at street level. “Since it covers a large area, Zuidas won’t automatically develop a sense of cohesion, which makes how you allocate public spaces even more important. So, looking at the ingredients that make urban areas pleasant living environments, what elements can you get rid of to make those places more attractive? We live and work in the city together and we also make it better or worse together.’’ Alessandro
Solci
The opening show of Black Achievement Month 2022 with the dance performance Siguifin. Siguifin, meaning ‘magic monster’ in the Bambara language, is the result of a collective choreographic process initiated by (Senegal),DancemakerschoreographerFrench-SenegaleseAmalaDianor.AliouneDiagneLadjiKoné(Mali)and Naomi Fall (Mali) co-created a diversified composition together with nine young dancers, addressing notions of individuality, social cohesion and cultural difference. Siguifin celebrates the vitality of a hybrid African dance that is continually evolving. The opening show is in Internationaal Theater Amsterdam on October 1.
THE MONTHACHIEVEMENTBLACK
Photography: Laurent Philippe54 Hello Zuidas
KOSMOGENIE In October the Cobra Museum in Amstelveen presents the exhibition Kosmogonie, Zinzou an African art collection with a selection of 110 works of art, from 37 African artists, from different countries and from different generations. BLACK ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
PERLE MEDITATIONSNOIRE: FOR JOSEPHINE (A life of freedom and dignity)
Black Achievement 2022 closes with the Black Achievement Gala on October 30th and the award ceremony. Black Achievement Awards are Dutch recognition awards that are awarded annually to individuals or organizations that have made themselves meritorious in Dutch society as a black role model. The Black Achievement Gala will take place in the DeLaMar Theatre in Amsterdam on October 31. More information? www.blackachievementmonth.nl
SIGUIFIN
The Dutch National Opera presents the European premiere of ‘Blue’, an opera by Tony Award-winning American composer Jeanine Tesori and American librettist and director Tazewell Thompson. Inspired by today’s America and black literature, they tell of a community in turbulent times that finds support and strength in togetherness. A devastating event leads to sadness, but also to connection, in which the shared
In the theatrical song cycle Perle Noire, composer Tyshawn Sorey, director Peter Sellars and soprano Julia Bullock (all USA) shed light on the complex life behind the superstar’s mask. They show a Joséphine Baker full of sadness, frustration and a tireless fighting spirit for a free and dignified existence for herself and others. Perle Noire will be shown in the Stopera (Amsterdam) on October 9.
BLUE A powerful portrait of an African-American family
Some highlights of this year’s program are: music plays an important role. Blue can be seen in the Stopera in Amsterdam on October 16.
The Black Achievement Month started in 2016 and was created to showcase the exceptional talents and special achievements of people of African descent to Dutch society.
Vitra Dynamic Spaces by Lyon Tower Ten - L2, first office on the left (just past the escalators) For further information, please contact LYON Office Support B.V.
‘LYON Presents ‘Vitra Dynamic Spaces’ in Tower Ten, demonstrating the diversity of their modular, flexible concept in a varied and inspiring range of settings. They invite you to come discover these products and spatial solutions for flexible work layouts.
From Monday, 3 October, Vitra and Lyon Office Support B.V. are presenting their 55
From tillOctoberMonday3rdNovember ‘ Dynamic Spaces’ LYON PRESENTS
Business In The Spotlight
How can we create environments that promote productivity and creativity yet also accommodate the needs of a generation seeking the flexibility to work from anywhere? Flexibly designed workplaces help to connect people, spaces and technologies and are adaptable to fluctuations in how, where and when we work. Tech is the worker’s software, while the workspace becomes their hardware: a dynamic space that can be easily adapted by users and which facilitates a variety of working formats and multiple activities. Go from office to workshop or from conference room to waiting zone with little effort or financial investment. Dynamic spaces can be created in any context and are relevant for all sectors, including offices, public areas, schools and health institutions. Dynamic layouts are also ideally suited to companies pursuing a hybrid set-up.
Just under half of the members cut their parking capacity in the past five years. Those that kept the same number of parking spaces implemented targeted parking policies, assigning parking access based on criteria such as commuting distance, job title or use of a lease car. Some members disposed of staff parking entirely. At present, members have a combined total of 7,250 parking spaces for employees and visitors, 5% of which have EV charging stations. Member mobility policies have also effected a shift in lease car use in recent years. A sizeable majority have reduced their lease fleets. Reductions range from 10% to upwards of 25%. In place of lease schemes, many introduced personal mobility budgets that employees can use to pay for their chosen mode of travel.
56 Mobility In 2016, members of the Zuidas Accessibility Task Force signed an agreement committing to measures to reduce employee car use for travel between home and work. These members employ almost 16,000 people in Zuidas, and visitors and students make some 5.5 million journeys to their organizations each year. Recently, a member survey was conducted to find out if the organizations are accomplishing their goals.
MOBILITY Members ‘Task Force Bereikbaarheid
René Teeuwen (Chairman) & Rinske Berg (Secretary) of The Zuidas Accessibility Task Force
The good news is that Task Force members have cut commuter car journeys by roughly 9% over the past five-year period. Employees are more often commuting by public transport (+5%) or bicycle (+3%). This is a result of several steps that member organizations have taken.
The Zuidas Accessibility Task Force is an alliance between government and industry partners established to foster discussion about access to Zuidas. Member companies take part in the Task Force as users of the area with a responsibility for maintaining good access to Zuidas. The Zuidas Accessibility Task Force is part of the From A to Zuidas (Van A tot Zuidas) platform.
Zuidas’ making strides to improve access
Photography: Nestor Tsakirakis, Studio Klijn
57 Mobility
Memberscommuters.thatoffer mobility budgets do not reimburse public transport expenses as well, as these are covered by the personal budget. Most members issue mobility passes for public transport travel or reimburse the full amount. Almost all members have shared company bicycles on-site, whereas about half provide shared company cars. A small minority reimburse the costs of using commercial shared bike or car systems that are available in public areas. Public shared scooter services are not reimbursed anywhere at the present time, although employees with mobility budgets may of course use any paid shared vehicle service they choose. Hybrid work policies Most organizations give their office employees hybrid work options. At just over half, employees are in principle free to work where and when they wish, provided they work on location a set number of days per week. At the time of the survey, organizations were still fine-tuning their hybrid work policies. Where weekday office occupancy averaged 83% five years ago, now this percentage is 53%. In other words, not only are fewer workers commuting by car, motorists are also commuting less often overall. Almost all member organizations provide employees with an
allowance to set up a home workspace. The majority also pay an allowance for days on which an employee works from home.
A consideration with hybrid working is that accessibility would be better if workers came to the office spread out more across the week. Tuesdays and Thursdays are currently the busiest weekdays, just as they were pre-Covid. Organizations are not yet actively encouraging this kind of distribution. To the extent that such agreements are being made, it is either at team level or arranged top-down. The same goes for commuting outside peak hours, which is also not being actively promoted by organizations. Two-thirds of the workforce is still commuting during rush hours. Spreading this traffic out (across both the week and day) would deliver big gains.
Encouraging options Most organizations encourage employees to bicycle to work, use public transportation or, to a lesser extent, use shared mobility. Bike use is being incentivized in a variety of ways. Most members have introduced bicycle schemes enabling employees to buy a bike by means of a tax-deductible gross/net allowance. Others have opted for a bike lease scheme where lease payments are deducted from workers’ gross salary. Task Force members have more parking spaces for bikes than for automobiles. Of a combined total of 11,400 spaces, only 2% are equipped with charging stations. All member organizations have shower facilities for bike
The From A to Zuidas platform has designed various initiatives in recent years to maintain and/or improve access to Zuidas. Most members have taken part in one or more of these projects, including an e-bike trial, mobility scan and recommendation, and the Amaze journey planner.
58 Legal @gtlaw.ams Welkom en veel succes Shaquila en Eva! �� @gtlaw.ams Wij wensen onze associate Wouter van Wengen veel succes in New York met zijn NY Bar Exam... @debrauwblackstonewestbroek ... six-month learning programme, De Brauwerij! Kiki and Nathalie... @dentonsnederland ... celebrating our five-year anniversary in The Netherlands at the Dentons Festival... @bakermckenzie_amsterdam Welkom Willem, Willem start per 1 september als advocaat-stagiaire... @werkenbijfreshfields ... vrijdag naar de halve finale �� @werkenbijnautadutilh ... viert Pim vandaag zijn verjaardag. Happy birthday! ... @werkenbijhouthoff In september rennen kantoorgenoten de Dam tot Damloop For employees of companies who are member of Hello Zuidas, it is possible to join our LinkedIn group or link as a contact.
59 Legal LEGAL #HELLOZUIDAS More and more legal professionals are taking to Instagram and other online channels – primarily to draw in new talent and share their achievements. We put together a colourful overview of what our local law firms have been up to in recent months! #instafamous #hellozuidas Follow Hello Zuidas on @werkenbijhoganlovells stagiaires- en medewerkersweekend in Leiden met interactieve stadsspeurtocht @werkenbijhoganlovells Moana is een werkstudent bij Global Regulatory en vertelt wat zij het leukste vindt... @werkenbijstibbe Deze week genoten van heerlijke macarons tijdens de Pride Week ♥������������������ @werkenbijcms CMS Club Tropicana bij Papa’s Beach House... lasergamen, Expeditie Robinson en ijssculpturen @bakermckenzie_amsterdam ... in Pride colours!... @werkenbijfreshfields FreshStarters ��... Alard en Tim ... @werkenbijhouthoff Rocycle Rotterdam done ✅��
Dimming Zuidas is part of the 2021-2025 Ambition Statement that CEOs signed during last year’s annual GBC Zuidas CEO Breakfast. At this year’s edition in late June, it was clear that CEOs in the country’s number one office location want to step up to the plate. “That’s why we are working to scale up the existing ambitions and achieve them faster. It starts with preventing visible waste, which is what unnecessarily leaving lights on is”, stresses Jeanine Helthuis, managing director of the Van Doorne law
buildings. Not only that, people often have no idea how many lights stay on. But, after this video, no more!”, says GBC Zuidas project manager Nina van den Berg.
60 Sustainability SUSTAINABILITY
Preventing visible waste
Though it makes for great pictures (see video), Green Business Club Zuidas members are calling for a nightly lights out between the hours of 11pm and 6am district-wide in Zuidas. They want unnecessary lighting to be switched off –within the confines of safety and security. To show why, the impact organization produced an after-hours recording spotlighting how brightly lit the area is at night. From whole office floors to empty company restaurants and from lobbies to stairwells: none of these spaces need to be illuminated when there is no one around. Not only could this save energy and costs, but it would also create a more pleasant living environment for inhabitants of Zuidas. Raising awareness to get the ball rolling Central to the GBC Zuidas campaign is a short video of dazzling ground-level and aerial shots that simultaneously shows the challenge. Their message is simple and straightforward: switch off the lights and share your commitment on zuidasdoethetlightuit.nl. The impact organization also offers knowledge and best practices on this website to help companies flip the switch. Because what sounds simple in theory is complex in practice. “Companies would love to dim their offices as all these lit up empty spaces are bad advertising, but it takes quite a bit of coordination, especially in multi-tenant
LIGHTS!OFFTURN(S)ZUIDASTHE
Video spotlights dazzling Zuidas at night
Text: Cathelijne Cras • Photography / film: Marc van Weeren en Coen de Jong From lights to climate control For Green Business Club, the lights-off campaign is in fact a first step in a broader effort to conserve energy in Zuidas. Further quick wins could be achieved by rethinking indoor office climates. During the summer heat wave, GBC raised the alarm by calling on companies to dial their air conditioning back a few degrees. “RED WARNING: Summer heat is approaching! There’s no better time to take a critical look at your climate control settings. Is 19 degrees indoors really that cool when saving energy is more urgent than ever? Jackets off, air conditioning down!”, they urged via LinkedIn. According to Eline Kik, GBC Zuidas programme director, “Switching off lights targets visible energy waste. The next step is tackling the less visible waste. That includes looking critically at climate control systems. Can thermostats be set lower in winter and higher in summer? Are system time and day settings optimized? And how are office buildings scoring on energy performance?” In the period ahead, roadmaps will be drawn up for several buildings in Zuidas setting out measures that can already be taken in the short term and sharing the resulting knowledge in other relevant areas.
61 Sustainability firm. “Our firm is one hundred per cent behind and on board with Zuidas turn off the lights.” Other companies that have also already committed to going dark at night are ABN AMRO, Arcadis, Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, Houthoff, Loyens & Loeff, NautaDutilh and Vesteda, with more to come. City director of urban space and economic services Thea de Vries, appointed as from 1 July, was a guest at the CEO Breakfast and is also very optimistic about the project being rolled out. “Uniting to send a message that ‘we are rising to meet the energy challenge together and I am part of the solution’ delivers the most visible result. Hopefully, motorists on the A10 will see the difference.” Scan QR-codethe and see the full video.
Our analysis of data from the Bouwkostenkompas database, taking the Netherlands as an example, suggests that construction prices may increase 10-15 per cent this year. This estimate is based on a number of assumptions. Historical data show the average construction cost index for the period 2000-2022 was about 3.1 per cent per year, taking account of a 70 index point increase over a twenty year period (source: bouwkostenkompas. nl). Over the past two years, high pressure on construction companies combined,
By: Marc van Niekerken Director, Building & Project Consultancy at Savills
WILLHIGHHOW
62 Finance
FINANCE
COSTSTIONSTRUC-CONGO?
With material shortages and energy prices rising since last year, Europe is now seeing construction costs outstrip historical averages. In recent weeks, the war in Ukraine – we sincerely hope peace can be restored soon and displaced Ukrainians will be able to return to their homes – has caused these prices to spike and contractors to overshoot budgets in a very short period, some before projects even got off the ground.
63 Finance with international supply problems and rising energy prices, have pushed construction costs up significantly faster than the long-term average. Measured from April 2021 to April 2022, the construction cost index was in fact around 6 per cent, factoring in an increase of 8 index points over the previous 12 months.
Looking at Q1 2022 index figures, construction costs had already gone up 2.73 per cent prior to the Ukraine crisis. If we extrapolate these figures to the whole of 2022, we get an increase of roughly 9 per cent. As the situation in Ukraine has not yet been factored into Q1 2022 figures, we estimate these will end up even higher for the rest of the year. The latest construction company price quotes show a clear upsurge compared to current project tenders and prices quoted earlier in 2022. Construction companies are also having a harder time agreeing prices with suppliers. This is due largely to fast-rising energy prices with knock-on effects on material production and transport, but also to stockpiling by some companies to safeguard production, with higher termination fees to cover price increases. To illustrate, European steel prices (hot rolled coils) have continued rising explosively – putting a further squeeze on construction company, and indirectly, client margins – to €1,400/tonne in March 2022 compared to €460/tonne in 2020. Sharply rising energy and raw material prices have forced plants to cut production, though economists expect steel prices to correct downwards in the Marc van Niekerken second half of 2022. On top of higher prices, materials are also becoming more difficult to source, causing some projects to be delayed. This is making it difficult for partners to fix prices for new projects until development starts and ends. For these reasons, we foresee another 5 to 6 per cent increase on top of the estimated 9 per cent, amounting as indicated to a total increase this year of 15 per cent. Once markets stabilize, however, production should return to normal, with a resulting drop in construction costs.
Link with Zuidas
The immensly populair concept Wild & The Moon is making its entrance in Amsterdam Zuidas from Paris. All visitors, employers, employees and residents are introduced to a vegan alternative that is better for yourself, the world and tastes great. Reason for becoming a Hello Zuidas member
FRANS OTTEN STADION
Hello Zuidas welcomes the following new members
WILD & THE MOON
Luke Recruitment finds the right sales, marketing, finance, HR and other professionals for permanent and interim positions at leading companies. There are many great existing and potential clients for Luke in Zuidas. Reason for becoming a Hello Zuidas member
Reason for becoming a Hello Zuidas member Companies are starting to recognize the importance of workplace vitality and the Frans Otten Stadion wants to contribute to this through Hello Zuidas. The Frans Otten Stadion specializes in creating meaningful hospitality experiences and offers the perfect balance between leisure and work, just around the corner from your office.
For many, Wild & The Moon is still unfamiliar. Through Hello Zuidas it is possible to share how it’s possible to improve the world together through our way of eating and living.
Luke Recruitment is looking to grow its network in Zuidas.
64 New Members NEW MEMBERS
Sector: LinkEmployees:Hospitality8withZuidas
LUKE RECRUITMENT
Sector: Recruitment & selection Employees: 20+ at offices in Den Bosch & Amsterdam
Sector: NumberLeisureofemployees: 17 Link with Zuidas Our sport complex sits at the outskirts of Zuidas.
Sector: Printing services Number of employees: 5 Link with Zuidas
NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT
Reason for becoming a Hello Zuidas member
GRAND PRIX COPYRETTE
Sector: Legal services Number of employees: 120 Link with Zuidas We will be moving to our brand-new office in 2Amsterdam, situated at the heart of the Zuidas, this October.
Reason for becoming a Hello Zuidas member Our upcoming move is the perfect occasion to join the Hello Zuidas platform. Being part of a community and building good relationships with our neighbours is important to us and through the Hello Zuidas platform we believe we can establish that.
65 New Members
Link with Zuidas Onemeeting.com arranges meeting and event bookings at the Atrium Meeting Centre.
Reason for becoming a Hello Zuidas member Our motto is ‘Everything looks better on paper’. In addition to the companies that already know us, Grand Prix Copyrette would like to introduce other companies to our many years of printing experience.
ONEMEETING.COM Sector: Meetings & events Employees: 44 (3 dedicated primarily to Zuidas)
We have been operating at the edge of Zuidas for over 35 years and have seen Zuidas grow.
We are joining as a way to forge local ties for the Atrium Meeting Centre, learn about innovations and sustainable initiatives based in Zuidas, and to connect with local companies to better understand and assist them with their meeting and event needs. The value placed on sustainability furthermore perfectly aligns with our CSR ambitions.
66 Memo Board
RETHINKING THE WORKPLACE
Flexibly designed workplaces not only help to connect people, spaces and technologies, but are also adaptable to fluctuations in how, where and when we work. From October 3rd, Vitra and Lyon Office Support will be presenting their ‘Vita Hybrid Work Center’ in the brandnew Tower Ten, where all are welcome to discover products and spatial solutions for flexible work layouts.
Changing climate on canvas
From 12 September to 8 October Circl is hosting a special exhibition titled Art of Weather Map, with original works by Jos Brolman picturing the changing climate. The colourful paintings of unusual and extreme weather events are based on data the artist collected from major weather institutes worldwide and offer a creative perspective on this theme.
MEMO BOARD
ZUIDAS JOINS FORCES
This summer’s Grachtenfestival was another resounding success. Young musicians from all
When Christian Ibink went in search of art to decorate his home in 2018 and discovered his budget didn’t stretch far beyond massproduced pictures like the ubiquitous IKEA red bike poster, he decided he could probably do better himself. He bought some paint and canvases and got to work. On a whim, he brought his project along to the bar one evening to show his friends. They said he was crazy, but before the night was out he sold his canvas to a neighbourhood dentist. That night, MAIM was born. This art label for a new generation of art enthusiasts breaks with the conservative establishment. MAIM revolves around nature, and its artists draw inspiration from their surrounding world. Their works convey the sublime experience of glaciers and tundra in Iceland or the desert in the Sahel. As well as revealing the splendour of the natural world, they also hope to raise and sustain awareness of the importance of protecting our planet. Throughout the month of October, MAIM will be exhibiting their Solar line of artworks made on dead solar panels at Circl for everyone to admire. The label also recently found a home base in the B. Amsterdam start-up hub, where they are carving out a veritable ‘MAIM world’.
PERFORMANCESPHENOMENAL over
Last month, Taalcentrum-VU, G&S Vastgoed and Zuidas Publishers joined forces to offer a free online English course to Ukrainian refugees. This initiative proved to be very necessary indeed, as it only took a day for the course to fill up. The Brush up your English training course has now wrapped up, and the classes were very well received by the participants. The topics covered included emails, phone conversations and vocabulary, helping the participants communicate more clearly in English. Great to see Zuidas organizations working together to help Ukrainian refugees!
67 Memo Board
Where art and nature collide
the globe wowed audiences with their talent during captivating concerts against the backdrop of all of Amsterdam. Including Zuidas! From a romantic recital on the roof of Loyens & Loeff to toe-tapping tunes on Gerschwinplein for market-goers, this year’s edition was truly festive. Text: Tessa Burger
Photography:
Text:
“Flowers have the ability to bring people together. They’re for life’s happy and sad moments, so customers come into our shop asking for all sorts of things. We also go out to them. You wind up visiting places you might never get to see otherwise, and that’s pretty cool! I feel like flowers open all doors: if I show up with a bouquet on someone’s doorstep – wherever that may be – I’m welcomed inside to deliver a lovely message.”
“We’ve been in business for 22 years now and for eleven wonderful years in Zuidas. Originally, I felt no connection with Zuidas apart from knowing that some stellar companies are based here.
MEET THE... 68 Meet The... Zuidas is best known as Amsterdam’s business district, chock-a-block with skyscrapers and scores of offices. More recently, however, the district has grown into a veritable urban neighbourhood and a great place to live and hang out. Many businesses have also discovered Zuidas, and with their arrival, the district has added a wide range of services and amenities, including shops, schools, fitness centres and places to drink and dine. Powering each of these establishments are entrepreneurs and employees with their own special, personal stories that we’re eager to share with you.
What services does Season Flowers offer?
What prompted the idea of starting Season Flowers in Zuidas?
Doing business is easier if you’re visible in the area and providing services there yourself. Since arriving here, we got brilliant long-term partnerships with several companies, including ABN AMRO, the ITO Tower and Ziggo Dome. We cherish these bonds deeply. Our opening hours tend to be a bit shorter, from Tuesday to Friday from noon to five, but with our Mr Fridge we can still offer 24/7 service to everyone in Zuidas.” What do you like about being a professional florist?
Season Flowers on Gustav Mahlerlaan has long been a flowery fixture in Zuidas. Owner Maikel Mulder and his wife were still in their twenties when they opened their first shop in Oostzaan, and from there they grew to become all-round florist. The best part of Maikel’s job is supplying colourful bouquets in all shapes and sizes to bring people closer together. Maikel, can you tell us something about your career background? “My wife and I started out from a shed in Oostzaan in our early twenties. We did everything together, working hard for seven years. At some point we decided to take the plunge and expand to larger premises in Zaandam. Eleven years ago, I thought it would be good to set up a mobile flower carousel in Zuidas. Though we didn’t get a permit for that, I saw there was a space available in Symphony that had been used for bike racks. We got together with CBRE and they did a lovely job helping us to put together this shop.”
“We can rise to any challenge. And work to any budget. The shop window displays are designed to be fun and appealing, and if you’re looking for something that’s not in stock, we can always order it.” Maikel Mulder Céline Boute & Tessa Burger • Nestor Tsakirakis, Studio Klijn
Our goal With an excellent business climate, worldrenowned educational institutions within reach, and leading companies in many sectors from many countries, the Zuidas has huge potential. The foundation Hello Zuidas contributes to the Zuidas by realizing a well functioning area. The goal is to promote a district that has international appeal, and high quality working and living conditions.
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SEPTEMBER 2022
01. ABN AMRO 02. Accendium 03. Accenture 04. À Deauville 05. Acre 06. AFC 07. AkzoNobel 08. Albert Heijn 09. Alpha Security 10. AMAZE 11. amsterdam inbusiness 12. Amsterdam UMC 13. Amsterdamse Bos 14. Arcadis 15. Arnold & Siedsma 16. Art Zuid 17. Asito 18. Asunaro Holland Interplan 19. Avenue Services 20. Avis Budget Autoverhuur 21. Bagels & Beans 22. Baker McKenzie 23. Bar Boele 24. Bar Valdi 25. Being Development 26. Bolenius 27. Boontje Advocaten 28. Bouwens& 29. Boyden Global Executive Search 30. BPD 31. Breevast 32. BREIKERS 33. Broersma Nieuwbouw 34. Caffè Belmondo 35. CBRE B.V. 36. Che Buono 37. Cielo 38. Circl 39. Clean Center 40. Club Sportive 41. CMS 42. CoffeeDC 43. Cognito Financial Communications 44. Confius Executive Search 45. Corporate Housing Factory 46. Cosmo Hairstyling 47. Courtesie International Business Affairs 48. Crossover (AM) 49. Crowne Plaza A’dam South 50. Customized Media 51. D&B The Facility Group 52. De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek 53. De Hypotheker 54. Deloitte 55. De Kredieter 56. (European Fortron B.V. 79. Frans Otten Stadion 80. Freelancers United 81. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 82. Fris Makelaars 83. FSB Beveiliging 84. FYEO 85. Gelderlandplein 86. G&S Vastgoed 87. Gerrit Rietveld Academie 88. Goede Doelen Loterijen 89. Grand Café Mahler 90. Grand Prix Copyrette Printing & Design 91. Greenberg Nielsen 92. Greenberg Traurig 93. Green Business Club Zuidas 94. GreenMobility 95. Greenwheels 96. Gustavino 97. GVB 98. HAB Int. Accountants & Consultants 99. Happyhappyjoyjoy Zuidas 100. Heeneman & Partners 101. Hestia Kinderopvang 102. Het Zwarte Fietsenplan 103. Hogan Lovells International LLP 104. Hotel & Wellness Zuiver 105. Houthoff 106. Hotel TWENTY EIGHT 107. House of Sports 108. Htel Serviced Apartments 109. IEF Real Estate 110. IMA 111. InAmsterdam 112. INK Interiors 113. Innside by Melia 114. ISX Beveiliging 115. Karhoo 116. KNAP Makelaardij 117. König + Neurath (Nederland) A.G. 118. Kraft Heinz 119. La Lotteria 120. Lebkov & Sons 121. Lexence 122. Limon 123. Loyens & Loeff 124. Luke Recruitment 125. Lunshof Makelaardij 126. Lyon Office Support 127. Maarsen Groep Beheer B.V. 128. Macquarie Capital (Europe) 129. Made in May 130. Magazine-Masters.nl 131. MaMa Kelly 132. Market 33 133. Mastercard 134. Mastro Sarto 135. MBO College Zuid 136. Mech Make & Take 137. Misura Sartoria 138. Molteni&C|Dada Amsterdam Flagship Store 139. Multicopy Amsterdam Centrum 140. NACH 141. NatWest Markets 142. NDI ICT Solutions 143. Nederlandse Ver. van Banken 144. Nedstede Real Estate 145. NH Amsterdam Zuid 146. nhow Amsterdam RAI 147. Nicolaas Lyceum 148. Norton Rose Fullbright 149. Novotel Amsterdam City 150. NS 151. Oliver’s 152. Olympisch Stadion 153. ONE-Dyas B.V. 154. Onemeeting.com 155. Openbare Bibliotheek 156. ORAM 157. Oranje Energie 158. Ox & Bucks 159. PAN Amsterdam 160. Pancakes Amsterdam 161. Partou Kinderopvang 162. Pathé 163. Personality 164. PizzaLab 165. PLTS Reformer Pilates 166. Poké Perfect 167. Premier Suites Plus Amsterdam 168. Projectorganisatie Zuidasdok 169. Property NL B.V. 170. Protiviti 171. Provast 172. Q-Park Nederland 173. Rabobank A’dam Markt Zuid 174. RAI Amsterdam 175. Regus 176. Reset Yourself 177. RGA International Reinsurance 178. Rialto 179. Rivers 180. Rob Peetoom 181. Roland Berger 182. Ronald McDonaldhuis VUmc 183. Rosarium 184. Russell Reynolds Associates 185. Savills Amsterdam 186. Salsa Shop 187. Season-Flowers 188. Securitas 189. Shinyu Body & Mind 190. Simmons & Simmons LLP 191. Sixt 192. Smartphone Citywalk Zuidas 193. Specialists in Security 194. Spirit Hospitality Services 195. Stibbe 196. Stichting Open The Doors 197. Student Experience 198. Summertime 199. SV RAP 200. Symphony’s 201. Taalcentrum - VU 202. Tandartsenpraktijk Van de Veer 203. Taylor Wessing 204. Tax Consultants International 205. Taxicentrale Amsterdam (TCA) 206. The Bank of New York Mellon 207. The Basket 208. The Breakfast Club 209. The Office Operators 210. The Upside Down Amsterdam 211. Thomaskerk Amsterdam 212. Tierra 213. TPEX 214. TREC 215. Tribes 216. Urban Salad 217. Van der Valk Hotel Amsterdam Zuidas 218. Van Dijk & Ten Cate 219. Van Gool Elburg 220. Van Lanschot Kempen 221. VanLoman 222. Vermaat Groep 223. Vesteda 224. Vet Digital 225. Von Poll Real Estate 226. VondelGym 227. VORM Ontwikkeling 228. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 229. VU | Griffioen 230. Wagamama 231. Watersportvereniging De Koenen 232. Welcome Home 233. WeWork 234. Wild & The Moon 235. Wineboutique & Spirits 236. Wintertaling 237. WTC Amsterdam 238. WTC A’dam Business Club 239. WTCafé De Blauwe Engel 240. WuSH 241. X.Bike 242. XO Optics 243. X2X Worldwide Express 244. Your Assistant 245. Zone2Source 246. Zuidas Apotheek 247. Zuidas Bier 248. Zuidas gemeente Amsterdam 249. Zuidas Markt 250. Zuidas Publishers 251. Zuidas Today 252. ZuidasTravel.nl
Editors Romy Lange, Céline Boute, Tessa Burger, Fleur Nuisker, John Leerdam, Jos Moerkamp, Cathelijne Cras, Marc van Niekerken & Rinske Berg Photography Caily Bobbie Jo, Davide Gallery, Nestor Tsakirakis (Studio Klijn), Roxanne Wilm, Marcel Steinbach & Too van Velzen
Hello Zuidas invests in trees! How we do that?
Foundation Hello Zuidas WTC www.twitter.com/hellozuidaswww.instagram.com/hellozuidaswww.facebook.com/hellozuidaswww.hellozuidas.comservicepoint@hellozuidas.com+311077StrawinskylaanAmsterdam61XW-Amsterdam(0)203337441
Zuidas Publishers WTC www.zuidaspublishers.nlinfo@zuidaspublishers.nl+311077StrawinskylaanAmsterdam151XXAmsterdam(0)203620993
Thanks to Jurenne Hooi, Van Poelgeest, The Mayor Amstelveen, FYEO, Kroonenberg Groep, Zuidas (Gemeente Amsterdam), Gelderlandplein, Taalcentrum-VU, De Hypotheker, John Leerdam, Van Lanschot Kempen, Vitra, Lyon Office Support, Alessandro Solci, Oscar Hammerstein, Reinier van Dantzig, Savills, Q Residences, Mar. J. Heule Makelaardij, Michiel de Bruine, Nieuwe Rede in Leimuiden, ABN AMRO Mees Pierson, VU StartHub, René Teeuwen, Dentons, The World Padel Tour, Corporate Housing Factory, Manhattan Lounge Bar, Green Business Club Zuidas, The International School of Amsterdam, Maikel Mulder, Von Poll Real Estate, SMEG Outlet Amsterdam & World Trade Center Amsterdam
Medicines Agency) 70. Expat Center 71. EY 72. Fam. Advocaten 73. Financial Offices 74. Five Clinics 75. Flexform Amsterdam 76. FLOW Real Estate 77. Food & i 78.
Through our sponsorship for Trees for All, we plant trees that restore existing forests.
De Nieuwe Poort 57. De Pizzabakkers | Zuidas 58. Dentons 59. Doctor Feelgood 60. Donkey Republic 61. Eden McCallum 62. Edge Technologies 63. Eefje Voogd Makelaardij 64. Element Amsterdam 65. Enterprise Netherlands 66. EQUANS 67. Euro CCP 68. European Language Centre 69. EMA
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Copyright © 2022 Zuidas Publishers All rights reserved. Nothing appearing in this magazine (information, pictures, images) may be copied or reproduced, in any manner whatsoever, unless explicit permission has been given in writing. Circulation Free for Zuidas and Amsterdam South. It is be distributed by promo teams, loose circulation, HRM departments of companies within Zuidas to guarantee reaching the (sub) target groups of Zuidas, Amsterdam and Schiphol.
Editorial advisory board Olivier Otten, Angela Ham, Elisa Schouten, Trevor Holtkamp & Jos Moerkamp
isHelloMagazineZuidasissuedby
Editor-in-chief Romy Lange Editor & Sales Céline Boute & Tessa Burger Intern Fleur Nuisker Art Director Emiel Brouwers • IMAGEAU Translation Taalcentrum-VU Final Editor Ellen Josée Westrik Printed by Magazine Masters Frequency Six times a year (bi-monthly)
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Luxury living in Amsterdam’s greenest district, its beauty drawn inside through floor-height windows. That’s life in Q Residences. The warm lobby and high-end rental apartments with quality finishing will make you feel right at home.
