Guided tours per area
Excursions with subjects as Cityplanning, Architecture and Art in Public Spaces of Amersfoort.
The City Center- Historical Center of Amersfoort
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
