Amsterdam Stuff to See

Amster msterdam dam This selection of 44 projects, which may be inadequate considering the enormous quantity of constructions that have been planned and built in recent years, represe nts an imaginary tour, tour, by stages , of Amsterdam a rchitecture; a selection selec tion of works works which nevertheless nevertheles s provide provide a concrete testimo test imonial nial of the impressiv impress ivee prolif proliferation eration of buildi buildings ngs a nd initiativ initiatives es which which make this city the center c enter of the contemporary architectural debate. The The sequence of “stages” is neither arranged chronologically nor on the basis of categories in the strict sense of the term: it begins with some characteristic examples of the singular and well-known Borneo project, proceeding with the new “adventure” of Ijburg to once more converge towards the old downtown area, then proceeding in a spiral path towards the northern, western west ern and a nd southern southe rn “suburbs” and the a rea of Amsterda m-Zuidoo m-Zuidoost st a nd Schipol. Schipol. The The s election of projects projects , all dating from from the las t 6 years, aims a ims at providing providing a variegated variegat ed panorama pa norama of a transformed tra nsformed cityscape, and a useful us eful guide for for a visit in the imagery of the Twenty-first wenty-first century.

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1 Brothe Brother/Sist r/Sister er Bridges West es t 8 2 Woningen Borneo Sporenburg Sporenbu rg Here Heren n5 3 Deluxe Townhouse s Ruimtelab uimtela b 4 Housing Sporenburg Neutelings Riedijk Architecten 5 Borneo Borneo Housing Housing de a rchitectengroep rchitectengroe p 6 House at Borneo island BEB architecten 7 Deta ils Vos House ous e Koen Van Velsen els en 8 Housing Borneokade José Lluis Mateo 9 Private Priva te hous hou s e MVRDV 10 The Whale Whale de Architekten rchite kten Cie. 11 Residential housing KNSM Eiland Hans Kollhoff  12 Wohndbauten KNSM Diener &Diener Architekten 13 Housing Java Eiland Cruz &Ortiz 14 Piet Hein Tunne Tunnell Ben Ben van Berkel 15 Floating House House s Archite Architecte ctenbure nbureau au Art Art Zaaijer 16 Ijburg Bridges 2001+2002 Nicholas Grimshaw &Partners 17 Montess onte ss ori College College Oost (MCO) Architectuu rchite ctuurst rstudio udio Herman Hertzberge ert zberge r 18 Sarpha tistraa tist raatt Offi Office ce Ste ven Holl, Holl, Just Ju stin in Korhammer orhamme r 19 Rijksmus eum eu m Vince nt Van Gogh Kisho ish o Kuroka Kuroka wa 20 Architectural Firm Sjoerd Soeters Sjoerd Soeters 21 Niewe Niewe Kerkstra erks traat at Van der Neut 22 Greenhouse Greenhouse Hortus Botanicus Zwarts Zwarts &J ansma Architects

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23 New Metropolis Renzo Piano Building Workshop Architects 24 Amsterdam CS Bus Station Benthem Crouwel Architekten 25 Zuiderkerk Hans van Heeswijk  26 De Kolk Kolk Deve Developme lopment nt Van Berkel er kel & Bos 27 Housing Haarlemmebuurt Claus &Kaan 28 GWL-Site A’dam KCAP 29 Carra Carrasc scoplain oplain West es t 8 30 Apart Apartment ment Building Bosc Bosch h Archite Architects cts 31 Twiske Wes t Atelier te lier Zeinstra Zeins tra van de r Pol BV BV 32 Housing Ookmerweg WoZoCo MVRDV 33 Dukaat Tangram Architects 34 Wat Water er dwellings Shillingdijk Shillingdijk Tangram ang ram Archite Architekten kten 35 De Aker BEB Architecten 36 ING Group Hea Headqua dquarte rters rs Meyer en Van Shooten Archite Architecte cten n 37 Reception Pavilion Zorgvlied Claus &Kaan Architecten 38 Rietlande Rietla nden n Ton Vanhoe an hoeven ven C.S. 39 Training Centre De Toekomst René van Zuuk  40 Pathé Arena de Architekten Cie. 41 Hea Heatt Trans fer Station Sta tion Cepe Cepe zed 42 Schipol Plaza Benthem Crouwel NACO Amsterdam/Den Haag 43 Costellation Building Hans van Heeswijk  44 Convair Building Hans van Heeswijk 

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1 project : Brother/Sister Bridges typology : bridges on the Borneo architect : West 8 realisation : 2000 address : Panamakade - Kabelgastkade, Scheepstimmermanstraa - Stokerkade

13 project : Housing Java Eiland typology : collective dwellings architect : Cruz &Ortiz realisation : 1996 address : Javakade/Sumatrakade

2 project : Woningen Borneo, Spore nburg typology : dwellings in three different locations in the Borneo district architect : Heren 5 realisation : 1996-2000 address : Henghelstraat, Seinwatcherstraat, Scheepstimmermanstraat

14 project : Piet Hein Tunnel typology : auxiliary buildings architect : Ben van Berkel realisation : 1990-1997 address : Entrance of Piet Hein Tunnel

3 project : Deluxe Townhouse s typology : dwellings architect : Ruimtelab realisation : 1998-1999 address : Henghelstraat Corner 4 project : Housing Sporenburg typology : set of houses architect : Neutelings Riedijk Architecten realisation : 1997 address : Ertskade 5 project : Borneo Housing typology : “back to back” detached houses architect : de architectengroep realisation : 1996-99 address : Stuurmankade 6 project : House at Borneo island typology : private dwelling architect : BEB architecten realisation : 1997-1999 address : Scheepstimmermanstraat 60 7 project : Details Vos House typology : private dwelling architect : Koen Van Velsen realisation : 1999 address : Scheepstimmermanstraat 8 project : Housing Borneokade typology : collective dwellings architect : José Lluis Mateo realisation : 1994-2000 address : Borneokade 9 project : Private house typology : private dwelling architect : MVRDV realisation : 2000 address : Scheepstimmermanstraat 10 project : The Whale typology : complex with dwellings and shops architect : de Architekten Cie. Realisation : 1998-2000 Address : Baron G.A. Tindalplain 11 project : Residential housing KNSM Eiland typology : residential housing in KNSM island architect : Hans Kollhoff  realisation : 1989-1994 address : Levantkade, 8 12 project: Wohndbauten KNSM typology :: complex with dwellings and shops architect: Diener &Diener Architekten realisation : 1999-2001 address : Ja vakade

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15 project : Floating Houses typology : prototypes of houses on the water architect : Architectenbureau Art Zaaijer realisation : 2001 address : Ij-Burg 16 project Ijburg Bridges 2001+2002 typology : bridges on the Ijmeer architect : Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners realisation : 1997-2001 address : Ijburg Development 17 project : Montessori College Oost (MCO) typology : secondary school architect : Architectuurstudio Herman Hertzberger realisation : 1993-2000 address : Polderweg 18 project : Sarpha tistraat Office typology : headquarters of the Housing Development Company architect : Steven Holl, Justin Korhammer realisation : 2000 address : 410 Sarphatistraat 19 project : Rijksmuse um Vincent Van Gogh typology : new wing of the Van Gogh Museum by Rietveld architect : Kisho Kurokawa realisation : 1996-1998 address : Paulus Potterstraat,13 20 project : Architectural Firm Sjoerd Soeters typology : architecture firm, create d in the interior of a church from 1965 architect : Sjoerd Soeters realisation : 1989-1995 address : Kerkstraat 21 project : Niewe Kerkstraat typology : complex with dwellings and shops architect : Van der Neut realisation : 1997-2000 address : Amsterdam Center, betwee n Amstel river and Wees perstraat 22 project : Greenhouse Hortus Botanicus typology : greenhouse architect : Zwarts & Jansma Architects realisation : 1991 address : Plantagr. Middenlaan

23 project : New Metropolis typology : National Cente r for Science and Technology architect : Renzo Piano Building Workshop Architects realisation : 1992-1997 address : Oosterdock  24 project : Amsterdam CS Bus Station typology : bus stop architect : Benthem Crouwel Architekten realisation : 1997 address : Ruiterkade

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25 project : Zuiderkerk  typology : church from 1632, reconstruction architect : Hans van Heeswijk  realisation : 1998-2000 address : Zuiderkerkhof  26 project : De Kolk Development typology : multipurpose building (garages, offices, hotel, a partments, shops, café) architect : Van Berkel &Bos realisation : 1996 address : Nieuwezijds Kolk/Voorburgwal 27 project : Housing Haarlemmebuurt typology : buildings with dwellings and shops architect : Claus &Kaan realisation : 1995 address : Binnenwieringstraat, Haarlemmers traat/Herenmarkt 28 project : GWL-Site A’dam typology : complex with dwellings and shops architect : KCAP realisation : 1994-1998 address : Haarlemmerweg/Van Hallstraat 29 project : Carrascoplain typology : urban furniture architect : West 8 realisation : 1998 address : Amsterdam-Sloterdijk  30 project : Apartment Building typology : residential complex architect : Bosch Architects realisation : 1996 address : Bezaannjachtplein 31 project : Twiske West typology : residential complex architect : Atelier Zeinstra van der Pol BV realisation : 1995 address : Couhorner Hoek  32 project : Housing Ookmerweg WoZoCo typology : residential complex architect : MVRDV realisation : 1996-1997 address : Ookmerweeg, Osdorp

37 project : Reception Pavilion Zorgvlied typology : entertainment pavilion architect : Claus & Kaan Architecten realisation : 1998 address : Zorvlieg Cemetery 38 project : Rietlanden typology : tower-sha ped residential complex architect : Ton Vanhoeven C.S. realisation : 1998 address : Rosa Luxemburgstraat 39 project : Training Centre De Toekomst typology : training center for Aiax and stadium architect : René van Zuuk  realisation : 1996 address : Borchlandweg 40 project : Pathé Arena typology : movie theater complex architect : de Architekten Cie. realisation : 1998-2001 address : Arena Boulevard 41 project : Heat Trans fer Station typology : boiler station architect : Cepezed realisation : 1999 address : Schepenbergweg 42 project : Schipol Plaza typology : air terminal-Shopping Center architect : Benthem Crouwel NACO Amsterdam/Den Haag realisation : 1995 address : Schipol Boulevard 43 project : Constellation Building typology : office building architect : Hans van Heeswijk  realisation : 1998-2000 address : Stationstraa t Oost, Schiphol Oost 44 project : Convair Building typology : office building architect : Hans van Heeswijk  realisation : 1996-2001 address : Stationsplein Schiphol Oost

33 project : Dukaat typology : complex with dwellings and auxiliary facilities architect : Tangram Architets realisation : 1995-2000 address : Pieter Calandlaan/ Rozenplein 34 project : Wate r dwellings Shillingdijk  typology : houses on the water architect : Tangram Architekten realisation : 1999 address : Scillingdijk  35 project : De Aker typology : set of houses architect : BEB Architecten realisation : 1994-1995 address : Pyreneen 1 tm, 47, Osdorp 36 project : INGGroup Headquarters typology : headquarters of the INGGroup N.V. financial company architect : Meyer en Van Shoote n Architecten realisation : 1998-2002 address : Amstelveenseweg, 500

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Amsterdam, a twenty first century schizoid city Write by: Herman van Bergeijk 

One can discuss at long if the Dutch cityscape has benefited from the economical progress the country has enjoyed the last ten years. Certainly it has produced an enormous change in the expectations of the population concerning their own living conditions. The general welfare had to be respected both in private housing and in public interventions, leading to a vast range of possibilities. After many years the Dutch state finally seems to acknowledge and give in to this thrive towards more liberate expression. Some slack has been given to the existing strict building rules. Liberalism and capitalism seem to have found themse lves again on the building market. Nevertheless there is still a s trong centra l control on the urban tissue of different cities. The Vinex (the fourth extra note of the government on housing) locations have all been determined by the higher planning authorities. This has had great consequences and influences on the extensions plans of many city. All the mayor cities in the Netherlands, especially those in the Randstad, have been forced to concentrate on two problems at the same time, that of the core and that of the outskirts of the city. Core renewal has been central for a much longer period as show the cases of Rotterdam and The Hague were the central area’s have been radical modernized in various ways. Infrastructures have been updated. These cities have become more appealing to the different users. Attempts have been made to give them a different metropolitan cha racter, leading to an evident and distinct difference in image. Although inspired by a range of global examples they often lack the grandeur of these. Nevertheless they aspire to a greater urban definition and emanation. Amsterdam, with its old and protected center, has bee n an exception. After the developments in the Seventies c ore improvement has be en restricted to small area’s and to cosmetic make-up interventions. Everybody knows the city of Amsterdam. For various rea sons and interes ts streams of tourists arrive everyday at the Central Station and pour into the historical center. Rarely do they get a glimpse of the extension neighborhoods. Only architectural fanatics take the tram or bus to see and photograph, for examples, the work of MVRDV, leaving local res idents in amaze ment. Architecture has supe rseded town planning. The attraction of the work of internationally famous architects ha s become prominent. If you haven’t build in Amsterdam or one of the other Dutch cities you can seriously doubt your position as a renowned architect. The same is true for the Dutch stars. The opportunities have been numerous. Dutch cities have become Mecca’s for architectural students, who can discover all the rece nt tendencies. For some philosophical oriented intellectuals Amsterdam is the rhizome city, for others it might be the stronghold of tradition or traditionalism, to many others it is just the town where they work and live. The local municipality has deal and try to content the different needs and expectations by offering a variety of  solutions and approaches. As the publication Amsterdam, mayor projects illustrates the municipality is proud of its e fforts. Expectations are that the population will increase to 780.000 people. The building of 40.000 habitations is the program for the future. Some projects have already been realized. The old site of the communal waterworks has been transformed in a ecological, sustainable ne ighborhood by Kees Christiaanse and West 8. Most striking element is the building block by Christiaanse and Neutelings, bordering the site, which has an urba n dimension rarely found in Dutch cities. The edge conditioned is rarely mastered by Dutch planners. Recently much attention has been dedicated to the transformation of old harbor are as such a s the Java island, the KNSM island and Borneo-Sporenburg, along the waterfront towards the IJ. Jo Coenen was responsible for the master plan of the KNSM island, Sjoerd Soeters for that of the J ava island and Adriaan Geuze and West 8 have put the ir mark on Borneo-Sporenburg. The individual res ults with their distinct character (classicist for Coenen, postmodernist for Soeters and urban landscape for Geuze) have been extensively published and still fill many architectural magazine. Large consensus of the success of these urban experiments seem to dominate, even if the architectural infill is sometimes problematic, in the sense that it has led to a typical architecture which we find in any other part of the Netherlands. The dialectic between architecture and urbanism has been lost. The diversity can hardly conceal a poverty of  urban imagination. Schematism, under the cloak of modern ordinariness and light, has been the strength of Dutch town planning in the twentieth century and still prevails. Town planning has been like Dutch cooking: sober, without fantas y, satisfaction of a prime need. Now architects are called on the s cene to produce s ome extra juice in the new extensions. If the ingredients are well chosen this sometimes leads to remarkable results, but often a pure architectural conceptions overrides the urban premises. This is espe cially noticeable in the planning of Nieuw Sloten, another big extension area in the west of Amsterdam, planned as purely a residential neighborhood. Despite interesting architecture urban qualities are often lacking. Emptiness and windiness take the upper hand. In the nearby neighborhood De Aker we find another example which show the Dutch ca pability of transposing Mondrian paintings to a n urban scale. Although less suburban than Nieuw Sloten it still exposes a clinical regularity. As many other projects it illustrates the problem the Dutch have with density and chaos. These areas are perfect continuations of the patchwork extension of the city. Living their means balancing on the idea of a city. One lives in the city and at the same time enjoys suburban or sub-rural qualities. This has been a prime goal. This is the leading thought which is also behind the mayor extension area of IJ-burg, the group of seven artificial islands created to the east of Amsterdam. 18.000 dwellings for 45.000 people will be built here. Abridge designed by Nicholas Grimshaw and wild variation of architecture (ranging from floating dwellings to semi-highrise) will have to take care that the pressure on the inner city of Amsterdam will diminish. Commercial and administrative locations have been be created along and on top of the south ax, for which Pi de Bruyn has made a master plan with large amounts of high rising and, maybe, the covering of the A10 motorway on the west side of the city, will form a second peripheral center. Anew enterta inment center is planned a round the Ajax stadium in the south. Some buildings, like the huge Villa Arena, designed by the office of Benthem Crouwel, are already finished. The master plan of Pi de Bruyn provides the area with a conglomerate of facilities. Benthem Crouwel also have the task of giving an a ttractive architectural face to the new stations of the metropolitan northsouth subway, which is to connect Amsterdam-North with the city center and the southern extens ions. Aconsequence of this intervention will also be the remaking of the Central Station environment. The still prominent new kids on the block, MVRDV, are to be the architects. After the disastrous ending of his plans for the IJ-ba nks Koolhaas and OMAonly have a secondary role in Amsterdam. Their brave visions of a new Amsterdam have been replaced by more good but also less spectacular plans. Yet Koolhaas was one of the few who dared to look at the urbanity of Amsterdam, opening up the pers pective of a real city, capable of concurring with other mayor European cities. The potentialities of those plans have been substituted by piecemeal solutions. Since the dictatorial Berlage a nd the democratic Van Eesteren discussions on Amsterdam a s a whole have been absent. The question what a modern city is, has hardly been raise d in the midget loving Netherlands. Urban theory is failing. The ironic studies of MVRDVhave not changed this, even if a theme like dens ity gets more attention than in the past. Fulfilling prime commodities are dictating the new projects and architecture has mainly the banal function of the billboard. Perhaps this will change. Maybe after Amsterdam has realized all its infrastructure projects a nd economical reces sion has be come a ne gative force, new prognoses for the future of the Amsterdam with its historic center and the Dutch city in general can and need to be made.

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