Arcam Pocket 19 - Amsterdam Architecture 2003-2006

This Arcam Pocket gives an overview of the projects built in Amsterdam selected by an independent jury. In an introduction, Roemer van Toorn describes what struck the jury during its tour of Amsterdam’s latest buildings: the introverted residential environments, neo-historicism, ‘gadget architecture’, monumentality and the return of the urban block. Successful insertion projects in existing urban areas such as the nineteenth-century ring, the Western Garden Suburbs, the Bijlmer and North Amsterdam alternate with projects in new urban areas such as IJburg and the Zuidas (South Axis). What is striking is the diversity of the projects, ranging from the bridge Nesciobrug (Wilkinson Eyre) to IJburg, the new head office of DWR (Architectuurstudio Hertzberger), the Finish House near Bosbaan (Mecanoo) and the operating station Westerkeersluis (LUX Architecten), to housing complexes by well-known firms such as Claus en Kaan Architects, De Architekten Cie. and UN Studio. The book contains a handy map and route descriptions for those who wish to go and judge the projects for themselves.