Late 20th Century (1975–2000)

Amsterdam Zuidas

1998– · Netherlands · Western & Central Europe · Transit-oriented urbanism and corridor planning · Planned by Zuidas Development Office
Overhead aerial of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district straddling the A10 South ring road and rail corridor, showing the transit-oriented corridor layout of the Zuidas plan. The actual Zuidas Develop
Overhead aerial of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district straddling the A10 South ring road and rail corridor, showing the transit-oriented corridor layout of the Zuidas plan. The actual Zuidas Develop · cc-by-sa

Core idea

High-density business district over rail/road

Why it matters

Transit-oriented European CBD

Description

Amsterdam Zuidas is a high-density international business district developed from 1998 around Zuid station on the city's southern ring, at the meeting point of motorway, rail and metro corridors. Planned by a dedicated Zuidas development office of the municipality, the scheme concentrates offices, housing, courts and university functions in a compact grid, with the long-debated 'dok' model proposing to place the A10 motorway and rail infrastructure below ground to free land for urban fabric.

Significance

Zuidas exemplifies the transit-oriented European central business district, locating corporate growth on infrastructure rather than in the historic core. It has featured prominently in debates on polycentric metropolitan development, on financing infrastructure undergrounding, and on introducing housing and street life into office-led districts.

What shaped it

Plans it influenced

Sources

Open it on the interactive timeline →
hub.toekom.st — History of Urbanism · an interactive timeline of 850 planned cities across 6,000 years.