Amsterdam Academy of ArchitectureGraduation Projects 2014-2015Urbanism

0683634038geertfsw@hotmail.comUrban Designer, City of Amsterdam

Geert den BoogertBoomerang SloterdijkSustainable city making

Urbanism

This project demonstrates how Amsterdam can grow in a sustainable way. This is possible by concentrating the expected population growth at strategic points, so that Amsterdam develops into a polycentric city. The aim of Boomerang Sloterdijk is a new centre around the Sloterdijk area of Amsterdam, which will connect the city centre, Nieuw-West and Noord with each other. The project will provide 60,000 new homes and 40% of the surface area for facilities and workplaces. This is comparable with Maastricht in terms of programme. The planning horizon is 2040.

The point of departure is that a sustainable city uses raw materials and space intensively. This entails that people share space, facilities and products with each other. This means there will be slightly less for each person, but many more opportunities for everyone. You are the king of the city with just a bicycle and a phone. Necessary spatial preconditions for an attractive facilities city are a high quality of space, high density and a large level of adaptability.

The point of departure of intensive use applies equally to the investments on the road to that sustainable city. Each investment and every development serves multiple objectives and is positioned strategically. They are significant for the new and the existing situation, as well as having an impact on the future. By urbanising ‘inside the ring road’, new residents benefit from the facilities in the city centre and from the existing ringfra (ring road infrastructure). At the same time, a new centre emerges that bridges the gap between the popular urban area inside the ring road and the avoided extension areas. Boomerang Sloterdijk brings the IJ river to the city, places the station in the city and turns the Westerpark into one big public green carousel, a unifying city park.

But what makes the proposed development so different to previous growth in Amsterdam? Firstly: Amsterdam is not expanding spatially. New homes are created through transformation of areas instead of extension locations. This means that developments benefit from what already exists and that the city gradually grows instead of being built on a large scale. Secondly: the large investments are focused on raising the urban quality and the functioning of the existing network. The millions that have ended up in periphery rural infrastructure in recent decades, are now ending up in the infrastructure that is being brought underground in urban areas, the public space above it and the strengthening of the metro network. Thirdly: the city is focusing primarily on high-density flats with sufficient space and light. Buildings are eight stories high on average, blocks are relatively deep (60-75m) and 25% of the surface area is being developed. All target groups are going to live in stacked housing. The building block remains the point of departure, but with an even stronger contrast between the lively streets and peaceful green inner courtyards. The inner courtyards have a collective section, where trees guarantee privacy and a perception of greenness on the balconies. Finally: the sustainable city focuses on nature, movement and experiential value. Within the centres and in the urban region, the layout of the public space is focused on the pedestrian and the cyclist. Quality of space is essential. In addition, a lot of attention is paid to greenery and water. That is not only good for nature and pleasant for the resident. It also increases the natural adaptability of the city in the event of heat and rainfall.

Graduation date01 01 2013

Commission membersEllen Marcusse (mentor) Ton SchaapCees van der Veeken

Geert den BoogertBoomerang SloterdijkSustainable city making

Additional members for the examinationHenk BouwmanMarco Broekman

Geert den Boogert

Urbanism

Towards a polycentric Amsterdam

Profile Transformatorweg (56m)

Image caption

Expand the park with entrance from the station

Extend the metro to Central station and to Noord

New buildings and transformation

New cycling routes and bridge across the IJ river

Image caption

Image caption

Profile Contactweg through park (27.5)

Existing

Zoning map

Tracks inside the ring undergroundSchematic analysis Amsterdam conurbation

Analysis: divided area

Bring water in the region

8 4 1,8 3 3

P P

6,5 2,6 6,5 6,6 4 10

8 10,6 10

Transformatorweg1:200

3 3 3 32,5 2,54 46,51 1

9,5 9,58,5

Contactweg door park1:200

Geert den Boogert

Lively streets designed for pedestrians and cycling

Principle section

Outdoor space by a spacious green inner courtyard

Public Private PrivateCollective

Urbanism

2030 2027-2032

2015 2018

Perspective 2040

2035-2040

Geert den Boogert

2030-2035

2022 2026

Amsterdam Academy of Architecture

Architects, urbanists and landscape architects learn the profession at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture through an intensive combination of work and study. They work in small, partly interdisciplinary groups and are supervised by a select group of practising fellow professionals. There is a wide range of options within the programme so that students can put together their own trajectory and specialisation.With the inclusion of the course in Urbanism in 1957 and Landscape Architecture in 1972, the Academy is the only architecture school in the Netherlands to bring together the three spatial design disciplines under one roof. Some 350 guest tutors are involved in teaching every year. Each of them is a practising designer or a specific expert in his or her particular subject. The three heads of department also have design practices of their own in addition to their work for the Academy. This structure yields an enormous dynamism and energy and ensures that the courses remain closely linked to the current state of the discipline. The courses consist of projects, exercises and lectures. First-year and second-year students also engage in morphological studies. Students work on their own or in small groups. The design

projects form the backbone of the syllabus. On the basis of a specific design assignment, students develop knowledge, insight and skills. The exercises are focused on training in those skills that are essential for recognising and solving design problems, such as analytical techniques, knowledge of the repertoire, the use of materials, text analysis, and writing. Many of the exercises are linked to the design projects. The morphological studies concentrate on the making of spatial objects, with the emphasis on creative process and implementation. Students experiment with materials and media forms and gain experience in converting an idea into a creation. During the periods between the terms there are workshops, study trips in the Netherlands and abroad, and other activities. This is also the preferred moment for international exchange projects. The Academy regularly invites foreign students for the workshops and recruits wellknown designers from the Netherlands and further afield as tutors. Graduates from the Academy of Architecture are entitled to the following titles: Architect, Master of Science; Urbanist, Master of Science and Landscape Architect, Master of Science.