Amsterdam

Carlo Convocar
Arch 162
Prof. Silvestre
Google Map view of The Netherlands
Google Map view of The North Sea Canal
Aerial view of North Sea Canal connecting to North Sea
Google Map view of Amsterdam
Aerial view of Amsterdam
Map of UNESCO border designating Amsterdam as a world heritage site
 Amsterdam: Introduction
• Also known as “the Venice of the North”
• Consists of approximately 90 islands, about 100 km of canals and linked by
about 400 stone bridges

Aerial view of Amsterdam

 Amsterdam: Introduction
• Capital and largest city of the Netherlands
• Area - municipality/city 219 km2 (84.6 sq mi), metro 1,815 km2 (20.5 sq mi)
• Population – municipality/city 767,849; metro 2,158,372
• Northern part of the conurbation of Randstad, consisting of the four
largest Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague and Utrecht) and
their surroundings
• Part of North Holland province

Randstad
 Amsterdam: History
• Still consisted of a small fishing village and a dam near the Amstel River
during the 12th century
• Finally granted city rights during the early 1300s
• In the early 1400s, flourished as a trading port for the Hanseatic League

Map showing the extents and routes of the Hanseatic League

 Amsterdam: History
• By the early 1500s, remained an important trading port because of its
proximity to Ij Bay
• First attempts at expansion began in the 1500s for solely as protective
measures and for fortification of the city
• New defensive walls were built along the edges of the city
• After the Fall of Antwerp in 1585, the city began to overpopulate due to
the influx of refugees
• Overpopulation resulted in new inhabitants living outside of the city’s
defensive walls, and thus, leading into the need for rapid expansion
Rendered map of Amsterdam in 1538, surrounded by Singel moat and prior to construction of canals.
 Amsterdam: History
• Although overpopulation was a prime factor in the expansion of the city, there were
other more positive reasons for the city’s development during the late 1500s and
early 1600s:
• The founding of a “chamber for assurances” which provided marine insurance
policies (1598)
• The founding of the Dutch East India Company (1602)
• The opening of the Bourse or Stock Exchange (1608)
• The creation of the exchange bank (1609) and eventually a lending bank (1614)
• Because of these factors, Amsterdam became the industrial capital of the Dutch
Republic
 Amsterdam: History
• The plan for the Three Canals would be approved by 1610, and would expand
the size of the city from 450 acres to 1800 acres
• The main purposes of the canals would be for protection and trade access,
not aesthetic design
• The outermost moat would be converted into the Singel Canal, providing the
prototype shape for the three other half-circles in the Grachtengordel
• Construction began in 1613 and would continue from west to east, across the
breadth of the region (not from the center outwards as commonly thought)
• By 1656 the last parts of the southern sector were finally finished
• The city was so carefully and effectively planned throughout the 1600s
further expansion beyond the boundaries set in the 1700s did not become
necessary until the coming of the 19 th century
1662 rendered map of the canals of Amsterdam
 Amsterdam: History
• In the 1950s, plans were made for areas like Weesperstraat where large
scale restructuring, were made for the creation of a motorway thoroughfare
• Aside from the filling in of canals, streets were widened, bridges were
lowered and numerous buildings were demolished
• Plans were scrapped and municipal policies involving large scale urban
developments were abandoned because of successful restoration projects like
the Huis De Pinto (Pinto House)
• In 1953 the Municipal Department for the Preservation and Restoration of
Monuments and Sites was founded
• Today, buildings are restored and saved from destruction, with expansion
applying adaptive reuse to old buildings to keep the city’s character

An old canal that has now been filled in. Huis De Pinto: throughout the years
 Geography: IJ Bay
• Along northern waterfront area of the city
• Connects to North Sea through North Sea Canal
• Port of Amsterdam found along bank
• This is an important body of water since it opens up to the sea, thus
allowing access for trade and connection with foreign vessels

View of Ij Bay towards west; Central Station seen in lower left corner of photograph
 Geography: Canals of Amsterdam
• Collectively known as Grachtengordel (“belt of canals”)
• Consists of four concentric half-circle major canals, with ends connected
to the Ij Bay
• Also included are minor canals interconnecting the radii of the four half-
circles

Night time view of Singel canal

 Geography: Canals of Amsterdam
• Singel Canal is the innermost and oldest of the four major canals
and connects to both Ij Bay and Amstel River
• The elegant design of the second canal, Herengracht Canal (or the
“Patrician’s Canal”), led to part of its development into Gouden
Bocht or “The Golden Bend”, a district of lavish mansions,
gardens and coach houses
• The third canal is Keizersgracht, also known as “Emperor’s
Canal”, is the widest among the major canals
• Prisengracht (translated as “Prince’s Canal” is the current
outermost and longest major canal, surrounded by a variety of
building types including churches and markets

Herengracht Keizersgracht Prisengracht

 Geography: Amstel River
• While the mouth of the river in Amsterdam, connected with Ij Bay
• Later on filled in and now terminates near Muntplein, creating a more
defined and established focal point for the city center
• The name “Amsterdam” was derived from Amstellerdam (referring to the
city’s original function as “a dam in the river Amstel”)

showing Amstel and termination at Muntplein. View along Amstel River

 Geography: Amsterdam Woods
• Also known as Amsterdamse Bos
• English garden and man-made forest found in the Southwest of the city
• Also connected to cities Aalsmeer and Amstelveen, but falls under the
ownership of Amsterdam
• These parks and nature reserves make up 12% of the city’s land area, which
must be taken into consideration when planning new developments

Amsterdam Wood
 Function: Defense
• Singel Canal the innermost of the four current major canals, was originally
the outermost body of water surrounding the city
• Used as a defensive moat during the Middle Ages, before expansion
• When the city expanded, the shape of Singel led to the development of the
four concentric half-circles, initially built for better fortification of
the city

Rendered map of Amsterdam in 1538, surrounded by Singel moat and prior to construction of canals.
 Function: Trade and Industry
• As the major canals began construction, the city also began developing a
system of canals intersecting the major ones, connecting them along the
radii
• Main purpose of system would be easy access and movement for trading and
water management
• Additional access between canals include of streets stone bridges
• Some of these interconnections were designed to lead through the canals, on
the way to Jordaan

Street-level view of minor canal and bridge

 Function: Trade and Industry
•
(Jordaan)
Jordaan was known for being housing the working class of Amsterdam, thus
developing the need for the interconnecting canals to provide access into
it, and affecting the access ways of the city
• Today Jordaan is primarily known for housing numerous modern art galleries,
as well as specialty shops, markets and restuarants
• The Anne Frank House is also a popular landmark within the area of Jordaan

Location of Jordaan in relation to the region Typical Jordaan street along the canal
 Function: Transportation
• Because of the designed canal system of the city, transportation consists
mostly of ferries for public water transport, with bus lines and tram lines
for public land transportation
• One-way streets and expensive parking fees discourage the use of cars, but
some carpooling projects are sponsored by the government
• Many pedestrians also prefer walking or cycling because of the sights and
pathways resulting from effective city planning

Boats and ferries along Amsterdam canals

Route map of Amsterdam tram line
Area map of Amsterdam showing different districts
Area map of Jordaan
Area map of Nieuwezijdes
Area map of red light district
Area map of East Canal ring
Area map of Amsterdam showing different districts
 Society: Culture (De Wallen)
• De Wallen is the renowned red light district of Amsterdam
• Network of alleys covering several blocks and crossed by several canals
• Because it is found in one of the oldest parts of Amsterdam, the form of
the alleys and buildings along De Wallen have been preserved, leading to
its development as a major tourist destination

Red light district of De Wallen during the evening

 Society: Culture (Fashion and
•
Retail)
Stores include older and larger department stores like De Bijenkorf, which
have stood since the 1800s
• Other shops range from high end stores along the streets in Vondelpark, to
open air markets like Albert Cuypmrkt
• Because of the already great amount of city space devoted to shops, some
owners have converted one-room apartments in De Wallen into boutiques
• These boutiques could prove mutually beneficial to De Wallen in terms of
attracting customers and visitors and are effective in saving city space

High end shops along PC Hoofstraat

 Society: Culture (Museumplein)
• Also known as Museum Square
• Large open area surrounded by four famous museums: the Diamond Museum, the
Riksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, and the Van Gogh Musem
• Prominent site for events, festivals and concerts
• Redesigned n 1999 to accommodate underground parking for aesthetic purposes
and maximum use of space

Aerial photograph of Museumplein

 Society: Political
• As of May 2010, the city is governed by a mayor, alderman and municipal
council for city government, but is divided into 8 different boroughs to
improve local governance
• Each borough handles their own local issues while bigger issues like major
infrastructure problems are handled by the city government

The 8 boroughs of Amsterdam

 Society: Economy (Financial
•
Districts)
Both the financial and business capital of the Netherlands
• Increasing number of business companies influenced the formation of various financial
districts, usually consisting of clusters of similar industries
• Three smaller districts have been formed, mainly one near the Amsterdam Sloterdijk
station (home of various newspaper companies and tax offices), the second surrounding
Amsterdam Arena, and the last near the Amsterdam Amstel station (location of the
Rembrandt Tower, office for Phillips and tallest building in Amsterdam)
• Largest district being formed in Zuidas

Location of Zuidas in relation to the region

 Society: Economy (Zuidas)
• Zuidas is a rapidly developing financial and legal district
• Currently the largest in Amsterdam
• Includes five largest law firms in the Netherlands and various consulting
firms
• Also houses World Trade Center Amsterdam
• Rapid growth of development could attract even more companies to erect
their own buildings, and may even affect transport routes leading to Zuidas

Financial district under constant construction in Zuidas

 Society: Architecture
• Described as “citizen’s architecture”
• Although it holds its share of churches and palaces, Amsterdam is better
known for is monumental mansions
• Monumental character of city is largely brought on by 17 th and 18th century
houses once owned by wealthy merchants or prominent citizens
• Many of these houses still exist, especially along the major canals of the
Grachtengordel, 1550 of which are listed as historic buildings

Royal Palace of Amsterdam: then and now

Amsterdam in Google Maps 2011
 Sources
- Portal to Amsterdam – I amsterdam . Official English-language website of
the City of Amsterdam. http://www.iamsterdam.com
- Amsterdam Heritage. Amsterdam Office of Monuments & Archeology.
http://web.archive.org/web/20070402012835/www.bma.amsterdam.nl/adam/index_e
.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20070402012118/www.bma.amsterdam.nl/adam/uk/intr
o/gesch2.html

- Amsterdam in the 17th Century. Department of History, University of North

Carolina. http://www.uncp.edu/home/rwb/Amsterdam_l.html
- Amsterdam Hotspots. http://www.amsterdamhotspots.nl/architecture.html