On 27th June, the counsel of Amsterdam and the development combination OMC signed an agreement for the development of the Urban Interactive District (UID) in the Zuidoost-area. The urban development design by MVRDV will provide Arenapoort with a dynamic new urban area where living, working, shopping, and leisure can be pleasantly combined without getting in each other’s way.

Dense urban area
The area of 2.5 hectares opposite The Johan Cruijff ArenA, only 15 minutes by train from the historic centre of Amsterdam, will transform into a dense urban area, thanks to the optimized mix of different functions. The plan consists of four building clusters with approximately 410 social rental houses reserved for students, 540 rental houses and an estimate of 30.000 m2 for offices, a theatre, a hotel, restaurants and a parking garage underground. The construction is expected to start in 2020.

Pleasant
The aim of the urban design by MVRDV is to create an area where people have a pleasant stay any time of the day. The available, largely unused space will become urbanised. A new square will be added that will merge with the already existing surrounding public areas. An open, accessible and small scaled ‘district’ will arise that is connected to the fullest with its surroundings, where leisure time and urban living can be pleasantly combined without getting in each other’s way. ‘A series of new building blocks will arise that make nice, lively and intimate public spaces and streets. The Zuidoost area is seriously in need of such a district,’ says Winy Maas, co-founder of MVRDV. 

The Creators
MVRDV not only designed the area but will also supervise the coming phases. Furthermore, the bureau will design one of the four building clusters. OMC is a cooperation between AM, Ballast Nedam en ING, and has been working on the development of the area around the ArenA Boulevard since 1996. The public space will be designed by DELVA Landscape Architects.

Longstanding relationship
MVRDV has a longstanding relationship with Amsterdam. Known projects of the Rotterdam office in Amsterdam are the Lloyd Hotel, a housing building on the Westerdoks, tennis club The Couch, Crystal Houses and the Cancer Centre of the medical centre VUmc. At the moment the Valley is being realised on the Zuidas. The Rotterdam architects invented a masterplan for the former office centre of ING bordering the Westerpark that will transform this area in a lively and green residential area.