Senior project management in defining the specification for the urban restructuring of the Stadionplein, opposite the Olympic Stadium. Pilot project for The Great Simplification of the Amsterdam City Council.
Also see the district's project website (in Dutch).
Squares
Creating a new square is more than just an act of planning, it is also an act of culture.
Designing a square with the urban landscape and the historical and cultural context in mind is vital, especially in the case of the Stadionplein, situated near one of the main gateways into Amsterdam and on the edge of Berlage's Plan South. The challenge is, to have the square guide its built environment rather than the other way around. In urban planning, creating a new square is one of the most difficult tasks there are. Much depends on the coherence between the horizontal space, its layout and how they relate to the surrounding urban walls. Another crucial factor is the chosen design concept for the square.
But squares are much more than that. To begin to understand their role, try to imagine a city without squares. Squares entail urban importance, history, meaning, image and programming. All of these concepts are difficult to control from a designer's angle, nor can they be created through planning. What is possible, however, is to mobilise and link up existing ‘forces' from the environment, for example through projects which consciously presuppose a temporary nature.
More information
Please contact Hans Karssenberg: h.karssenberg@stipo.nl.