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Guided tours per area
Excursions with subjects as Cityplanning, Architecture and Art in Public Spaces of Amersfoort.  

The City Center- Historical Center of Amersfoort

Kattenbroek

Nieuwland

Vathorst

Het Eemplein

De Nieuwe Stad

De Wagenwerkplaats

The City Center, The Old Town
Amersfoort gained cityrights in the 13th century. In the 15th century the economy had

an enormous impulse by the visits of thousands pelgrims who wanted to visit a little

statue of Maria which was renowned for its power. At the end of the seventeenth

century  there was a dark period.

In the nineteenth century however, through the railways  Amersfoort  became the

crossingpoint of several lines. Through the Industrialisation and the coming of

higher ranked officers a blooming period started.

 

Today Amersfoort has the task of building a lot of houses. It has grown from

80.000 inhabitants in 1980 to 160.000 in 2024. And the growth continues.

Also the monumental City Center has to expand. By building intensively on the

Westside of the old town the Municipallity tries to enlarge the City-center.

By redeveloping former industrial Area's there will also be some

10.000 houses/apartments to the further west side. The re-use of industrial

heritage has top priority. Important themes today are: conditions to include all people;

to improve culture and sportiviness; investment in sustainable systems and

good architecture is essential: Good examples are:

Het Eemhuis which containes the library, Art-centre KADE

The RCE (government building to preserve Cultural Heritage and monuments) and

The future Townhall ("House of the Town').

Other developments are:  Car-free environment, partlybringing back of a former

ring-moat; affordable housing on nice locations; lots of recreational routes;

Existing features are: The fantastic connection to the A1, A28 and the railways.

Thus the town is also very attractive for companies and expats.

 

Developments at the Northeast side of

Amersfoort. (1930-2026)
Due to the realisation of the Afsluitdijk in 1933, in combination with the

creation of a canal,  there was less wetland to the northeast side of town.

From that moment on there could also be residential development on that

side.  This took a flight by the annexation of Hoogland. A small village but

with lots of land. Amersfoort became twice as big. And from that moment on

three important extensions were realised and the town grew from

130.000 – 160.000 inhabitants.


Kattenbroek (Developed from 1990-1995) Focus: Undivided town,

emphasis on affordable housing: the numbers, the mix and the location. Vathorst

and Nieuwland are so called VINEX-locations, with PPP-constructions) Kattenbroek is

entirely developed by the municipality. Kattenbroek was also the result of special

Urban Planning of Ashok Bhalotra (Kuiper Compagnons,). He was thinking in

Metaphores. This was entirely different than any development before that. How to

live in t'The 'Court of Love' for instance, or in' The Ruines.


Nieuwland (Focus on environmental tehniques, some 5000 houses from 1995-2000).

Nieuwland was a reaction to Kattenbroek. One of the first PPP-constructions in The

Netherlands. The Cityplan had a more introvert layout with symmetrical courtyards

deriving inspiration from housing and architure in the 1930’s.


Vathorst (A socalled VINEX-location, a residential area with 10.000 houses, 2002-2026,

PPP-construction) has learned a lot from the previous areas.The combination of an old

landscape with bigger farms (read bigger lots) on the one side and an area with a lot

of canals on the other side, and a great number of architects gives the area very good

reviews in the world of housing and urban planning. The theme here is ”a world of

difference’. Cityplanning offices are West 8 and Kuiper Compagnons.

Development to the west side of

Amersfoort.  An industrial Area from the late 19th century which will

be redeveloped to a residentialarea.A socalled ‘brownfield’. The whole area is called:

Langs Eem en Spoor (2016 – 2036).
“Langs Eem en Spoor” consists of several smaller area’s : All ready developed:

‘Het Eemplein’ and partly ‘de Nieuwe Stad’. Some of the industrial heritage buildings

of de Wagenwerkplaats’; in the near future the area ‘Kop van Isselt’ (more

downstream of the Eem) and ‘Het Trapezium (the area between the current

Central Railwaystation and the current  townhall). In 2026 there will be a

brandnew townhall. The realisation of this whole area will take several

decennia. One of the topics: How to implementhighrise buildings (approx.70m)

where there were none before.


Het Eemplein - realised
Borderng to the oldtowm on the westside (on the other side of the railways) very

close to the very famous Koppelpoort (double-gated)  A development of the Municipality:

‘Het Eemhuis’, a combination of cultural functions like: The library, museum

De KADE, a restauarant and ‘Schools of Arts’ (Art for amateurs like dance, sculpturing,

painting etc. ) The modern appearance of the building worked as a katalysor for new

shops, a movietheater appartments and all kind of activities. There are also new

amenities for boats who are allowed to moore alongside the river Eem.


De Nieuwe Stad – partly realised
‘De Nieuwe Stad’ bordering the Eemharbour is today allready a lively area where all kind of start-ups take place in former industrial premisses from the nineteenhundreds. Lots of opportunities for artists, entrepreneurs  and alike. A beach in summer for small children, several ‘high-end’ restaurants next to the ones using local produce. Slowly a housing programme is realized. A combination with high-rise buildings. A really Urban density.

De Wagenwerkplaats – partly realised
The coming decades Amersfoort is aspecially focussed on housing alongside the river De Eem and alongside the railways.
Het Eemfront
Kop van Isselt
De Wagenwerkplaats


Subjects are: Preservation of Industrial Heritage
Allready small enterprices are invited to locate their workingplaces/offices/ateliers/restaurants in the area
At the Wagenwerkplaats a small project with 42 ecological houses is developed with help of a corporation OMNIA. A socalled CPO (Collective Private Commisioning). More projects will follow.


Future tours:
-    Kop van Isselt
-    Het Trapezium (New Townhall)
-    Het Hogekwartier
-    Het Hoefkwartier

 

The Center
Kattenbroek
Nieuwland
Vathorst
Het Eemplein
De Nieuwe Stad
De Wagenwerkplaats
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