Strandeiland Amsterdam

Strandeiland is a new development in Amsterdam for 8,000 homes and 120,000 square metres of commercial and societal uses. The municipality of Amsterdam has high ambitions for Strandeiland: the district must be sustainable and pioneering. The development of Strandeiland will continue up to 2040, so it is important to look far enough ahead. Together with partner Metabolics, in 2019 Witteveen+Bos studied the sustainable and circular long-term ambitions for Strandeiland.

Different sustainability items

We assessed the draft urban development concept in terms of sustainability in the broad sense of the word and made recommendations for improvements. An integral approach towards sustainability meant bringing together different sustainability themes in a holistic sustainability plan for the area. In doing so, we expressly sought synergy between various themes, users, buildings, companies and sub areas.

The municipality has formulated ambitions relating to material, energy, water and nutrients, ecosystem and biodiversity, culture and society, health and well-being, value creation and mobility.

For each theme, an extensive analysis of ambitions, scenarios and recommendations was performed. We were therefore able to explore additional opportunities to tighten the sustainability ambitions in the area.

A holistic sustainability plan

Witteveen+Bos mainly focused on the themes of sustainable energy (describing possibilities for energy generation using PV on roofs, facades, in the public space or floating on water), climate resilience (consequences of flooding, heat and drought and what is necessary to make the island resilient and robust) and emission-free mobility. We also studied the legal feasibility of making emission-free mobility and a centralised waste collection service for the district compulsory.

There are many different sustainability themes which must work optimally together in the development area. By taking an integral approach to these themes, it was possible to draw up a holistic sustainability plan to help the decision-making of the municipality of Amsterdam.