19 App to design pocketpark The Zuidas Amsterdam Development Office has been in dialogue with residents (and other users) through an app from May 2018 about three areas of public space that still need development plans in the Benjamin Brittenstraat, the Peter Schatstraat and the Leonard Bernsteinstraat. How do residents and users want to structure these areas? Every few weeks the Zuidas Amsterdam Development Office asked participants questions through the app. The designs for the public areas will be themed around ‘play’, ‘meeting’ and ‘green’ and take the input from the app into account for completion in early 2019. New design De Boelelaan Between the end of July and the first week of September 2018 the public field on the De Boelelaan was redecorated near the VU Amsterdam. The work was combined with new sewage systems and the reconstruction of the De Boelelaan’s south side. Bicycle parking garage Strawinsky In May 2018 the official opening took place of the Strawinsky bicycle parking garage that can hold 3750 bikes. The garage is the third and largest underground parking space for bicycles at Amsterdam Zuid station, the other parking spaces are under the Mahlerplein (3000 bicycles) and under the Zuidplein (2500 bicycles). All this space is needed to accommodate the expected growth of train passengers at Amsterdam Zuid, from 100 000 a day now to up to 300 000 passengers a day in 2030. All three parking garages in Zuidas are free to use for the first 24 hours. Removing bicycles With the new underground parking garages for bicycles, the aboveground bicycle parking garage on the Mahlerplein have been removed to create more space on the square. Wrongly-parked bicycles (outside designated areas) on the Zuidplein up to the Prinses Irenestraat and on the Mahlerplein to the Mahlerlaan have been removed on the basis of the Dutch Algemeen Plaatselijke Verordening APV laws. Bicycle signs Five areas in Zuidas had signposts installed in October alongside bicycle paths. The signs point to the bicycle parking garages and show the number of parking spots available. Zuidas is the first area in Amsterdam to have these intelligent signs. While biking to Zuidas and Amsterdam Zuid station, you can see where space is available in each of the three underground parking garages near the station. Future Past Glory To celebrate its 80th birthday, the Beatrixpark received the ‘Future Past Glory’ statue from the Municipality of Amsterdam. The stature is 8.5 meters wide and 5.3 meters high and was made by artist duo Heringa and Van Kalsbeel. The statue is a homage to the park’s designer Jakoba Mulder and is placed at a prominent place on an open field in the park. Sustainable builder award 2018 For the second year running, the Bewuste Bouwer Award was given in Zuidas to encourage environmentally conscious construction. The Bewuste Bouwers foundation and a public panel chose the most sustainable and beautiful construction site in Zuidas. The winner in 2018 is the mixed-use building Valley. The prize was awarded during the Dag van de Bouw in Zuidas. Valley was awarded the prize due to the quality of its construction enclosures: nice-looking covers with clear impressions of what Valley will become. The contractor also took measures to minimise disturbances by vibrating a number of dam walls into place instead of simply driving them into place. They conducted these works between 08:00 and 10:00 to reduce nuisance. A new City Map Hello Zuidas In September 2018 the new edition of the City Map was launched. The first edition appeared in 2013. Landscape architect Gloria Font designed the map in 2013 and was also involved in the newest edition. The map shows how the area has developed with more residential areas, hotels, offices, shops and catering. The map shows the fastest transfer times to the city centre, Schiphol airport and the green areas at the edge of Zuidas. The Noord/Zuid-line and other changes in public transport are included in the map, just as the new bicycle parking lots and all the drop-off zones for Hello Bikes. Safety: Veiligheidsplatform Multiple times a year Hello Zuidas organises a ‘Veiligheidsplatform Zuidas’ (safety platform) on safety in public spaces. Large organisations such as RAI Amsterdam, the VU, the Zuidas Amsterdam Development Office and the police take part. In 2018 thematic meetings on social safety, terrorist threats and fire were organised. Whatsapp groups were formed whereby security experts can quickly and efficiently share reports and information that is relevant during incidents and mishaps. VU Amsterdam exhibition on, and under, the campus When construction started in 2017 for the sustainable thermal storage of the Nieuwe Universiteits building, the drilling was combined with scientific measurements. By taking a ground sample at each metre drilled under the surface, a treasure of information was unearthed, dating back over 2.5 million years to now. The exhibition about the results encompasses 2.5 million years in the past to the future in 2030. From the early Pleistocene to the Ice ages, Eridanus and the current Holocene, the exhibition starts at ground level with the removing of peat and rising sea levels to the development of the university building and the ever-expanding city. The exhibition offers visitors a clear overview of how the landscape has changed as well as how human intervention and planning created public spaces, and offers insight into how Zuidas developed from an empty space into the office and residential area it now has become. Sustainability report Zuidas 2018 Photo: Jessica Bekker
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