Architecture In Limbo

The Bijlmermeer never stops

a strategy for a sustainable living environment for hopping and working in a dutch new town

standing falling eating fleeing drinking

knieling dancing sleeping using the toilet shouting

sitting cycling kooking coming home fighting

laying down PT traveling making love conversing sporting

jumping car driving playing cleaning speaking

walking boating petting singing praying

running flying hanging around making music staying over

Content
 Content
Introduction Past Middle Clash
What is it
Why
How
Recipy Assembly
Regional urban strategy

Build environment, landscape and public space

Extending a shopping mall and housing

Facilities for appropriation ijn the future.

Conclusion
such a large scale had, of course, huge implicati
of the public life in the neighbourhood. The urb
‘city street’ was eliminated Fig.01.
in the Bijlmer and m
it had to fulfil were placed within the communit
Bijlmermeer and
its middleclass in
concept of the dry walk, which was
the late a key eleme
sixties
(source; Kees
infrastructural scheme, wasRijnbout)
therefore essential t
individual flats. This link between ‘house’ and ‘
on the ground floor, though it soon was moved t
pedestrians and cyclists could pass unhindered a
ground floor consisted furthermore of double he
Initially two dry walks were designed per flat: o
gallery on the sunny side and one as an indoor c
side of the block. Between the walkways there w
staircases and more importantly the collective s
later more.
In the initial plans the apartments were accessed
elevator and a small vestibule or portico for a m
houses (see fig.7 on page 24). In the few cases w
possible short, separated galleries would have to
This access system was very important because
the horizontal movement in the corridors, which
experience of a real street (see images 11 and 12

The most important elements of the internal stre

collective spaces. Between the two dry walks th
of the whole flat should take place. The architec
envisioned bars, child care and sports facilities,
meeting points and conference rooms. Just as th
place in ‘regular’ neighbourhoods there was roo
for the bridge club, the elderly committee, stam
the occasional block party. Not only inside the b
room for collective activities, at some points litt
designed to house extra neighbourhood facilitie
were accessible from both the internal corridor a
Introduction Past Middle clash
Introduction
As an architect I assemble physi-
cal environments and infrastruc-
tures for human activity. I would
like to believe that my assem-
blies could facilitate these human
activities. A build surrounding
that facilitates or helps people
to live, dwell and work in good or
bad times.
To be able to asist wit a build-
ing in bed times it is essential
to understand the relation between
social activities and infrastruc-
tures, specifically in crisis envi-
ronments.
Jouke Sieswerda and I did an elab-
orative research on the history
of the Bijlmermeer. A late modern
housing area that started out as
one of the most popular living area
but ended up as the first ghetto
in the Netherlands. The research
is about the politics, realisation
and cutbacks in infrastructure and
the build environment, and the ef-
fect this had on human usage and
their control over privacy. The
title of the book is;
Architecture in Limbo, A short his-
tory of public, private and collec-
tive spaces in the Bijlmermeer. It
describes how physical infrastruc-
tures and environments influenced
the initiatives of inhabitants to
live, dwell or work in a distorted
crisis environment. (http://www.
lulu.com/content/1045052 )
After this research it was only
natural for me to react on our find-
ings and generate a strategy for
a sustainable environment for liv-
ing and working. This strategy en-
hances the infrastructure and pri-
vacy control in order to better
live and business possibilities
for inhabitants, in both good and
bad economical weather.This way
it would be possible to facili-
tate the emergence of talent that
encourages entrepreneurial tenden-
cies even when when vicious socio-
economic disasters tend eliminate
the middle class from parts of our
society.
Past Middle clash
Quote; ’The position starting busi-
nessmen who emerge out of social
security is of great importance
to the Dutch economy, their con-
flicting situation is illustrating
how little thought their strug-
gle really gets.’(Frank Kalshove;
De Volkskrant, zaterdag 13 juni,
Economie )1
The article explains how the insti-
tute ‘UWV’, for social security,
is demoralising people to emerge
out of unemployment with their own
business. Kalshoven concludes that
entrepreneurs, who are emerging
out of the precarious situation of
social security, are not as free
as others.
In my opinion he describes the ob-
struction of emerging business-
men and talent. They are trying
to arise out of crisis but do not
have the same chances, to initiate
a business, like others do. This
seems a peculiar situation in re-
lation to the current perspectives
that we live in. If we like it or
not, we do live in a world that
faces a luring financial catastro-
phe. This crisis is one where mid-
dle class will be struck by huge
losses of employment, making the 1
middle class more and more depen- Het spel en de knickers, Ondernemende
WW’ers verdienen meer vrijheid, minder
dant on their own entrepreneurial regels; Frank Kalshove, De Volkskrant,
initiatives and talent. zaterdag 13 juni, Economie
Therefore the aforementioned sit-
uation seems peculiar and even 2
threatening when policies start Recently penalties up to thousands of
euros are being given to starting entre-
to obstruct and even financially preneurs who are trying to get out of
punishes2 small-scale business- social security. The Uwv (social securi-
es that are emerging in spite of ty) treats non profit hours that one puts
their crisis. This discourages en- into a new business as if these hours
trepreneurial tendencies instead directly cause capital accumulation by
lets say charging the costumer for it.
of a fundamental enhancement of So don’t think of your company when you
economic activities and trust. are surfing the web, because you will get
fined.
But lets not start off with a doom
scenario. Lets have a look at the
statement and lesson that could be
learned from the article and relate
it to a future where governance
cannot guarantee your social well-
being due to a global economical
shift or crisis. A future in which
more and more people will start
their own business out of neces-
sity and not just for fun. It is a
future where we’re all businessmen
or freelancers in a neoliberalized
‘welfare state’ in which we need
to sustain our own residential and
economical wellbeing.
What is it
This project is a reaction to the 1 Read; Idealen in beton; verkenning
redevelopments in the Bijlmermeer. in midden- en oost europa
The Bijlmermeer is a late modern 2 Read; Wimby; welcom in my backyard .by
housing area, built in the 1960’s Crimson.
and situated in Amsterdam South
East (ASE).
The design of the Bijlmermeer is
not unique. It is part of a huge
amount of dwelling areas developed
with a strong social or social-
istic ideal. These ideals reached
from east to west Europe1 and are
nowadays often referred to as New
Towns2 .
Most of these areas are facing de-
molition because they are looked
upon as complete social, architec-
tural and technical failures. The
areas look endless, are subordi-
nated to socioeconomic disasters
and start to just fall apart. In
this sense it seems reasonable to
get rid of these social housing
slabs and areas as soon as pos-
sible and build a complete new and
nicer housing area from scratch!
However, there is another side to
this story.
With this demolition we face a new
problem in the Netherlands. This
problem is the termination of:
Social cultural infrastructures;
think of families, friends, neighbours or business relationships that will not
live amongst each other anymore. They are being separated.

Cultural Heritage and Physical national history;

The Bijlmer is the condensed result of Dutch architectural and political histo-
ry. It is telling the story of Dutch socialism, colonialism, immigrant policies
and housing on the background of the most contemporary Dutch architecture, Urb-
nism and Real Estheat business of the 60’s

Socioeconomic infrastructure;
We’re losing a ‘school’. The Bijlmer is almost a school from which we could
learn about the rise and fall of business initiatives. It tells the story of the
do’s and don’ts in relation to emerging businesses, both formal and informal
Fig.02.
Air picture
of Amsterdam
Southeast, showing
the Bijlmermeer
(source; google
earth)
Fig.03. Fig.04.
Arial masterplan of infrastructural
Amsterdam Southeats plan of The
(source; Kees Rijnbout) Bijlmermeer
(source; Kees
Rijnbout)

Fig.05. Fig.06.
Arial masterplan of The Function
Bijlmermeer construction plan
(source; Kees Rijnbout) of The Bijlmermeer
(source; Kees
Rijnbout)
Fig.07.
demolition of
flatslabs
Fig.08.
flatslabs in their
green surrounding
Why
 Fig.09.
origional
Bijlmermeer fabric
(source;
municipality)

The demolition of the Bijlmermeer

is typical for the way housing
corporations redevelop their real-
estate stock, only this time it
concerns a national monument that
represents a historical heritage
of failures that the Netherlands
rather seems to ignore. One would
expect that the people who are
governing these areas would learn
from such mistakes. Nevertheless
the redevelopment completely ig-
nores local; potentials, charac-
teristics and even talents.3

Fig.10.
new
Bijlmermeer fabric
(source;
municipality)

3 Documentary ; VPRO Tegenlicht (Back-

light); Sloop-Sloop , Het nieuwe Bou-
wen. (Demolish- Demolish, Thé contem-
porary way of building) (http://www.
vpro.nl/programma/tegenlicht/afleverin-
gen/22966523/) Documentry; VPRO Tegen-
licht (Backlight); Erop of eronder in
Noord (http://www.vpro.nl/programma/
tegenlicht/afleveringen/27401046/)
Fig.11.
Richard Yeboart &
Jouke Sieswerda
These demolitions and redevelop-
ments position the established
middle class and destabilise low-
er-class talent that could have
emerged, both in business and so-
cial activities. In the case of
the Bijlmer we can mention the
many soccer talents, the business-
es that where started in living
rooms and parking lots. A nice ex-
ample is Richard Yeboart, a young
engineer who started his own con-
sultancy office in one of the park-
ing garages on the Daalwijkdreef.
We spoke to him in his office and
walked with him through the Bi-
jlmer where he grew up.
It seems that the recent redevel-
opments or ‘vinex’ revitalisations
do not enrich the environment with
possibilities or tools for the in-
habitants and their diverse range
of activities, which are charac-
teristic for the Bijlmer. Nor are
these redevelopments capable of
facilitating several ways of space
appropriation by its inhabitants
in the future. In other words:
if these interventions of stan-
dardised housing with gardens are
not working in the Bijlmer, they
can start to demolish it again.
The built surroundings of the re-
development are, in that sense,
not capable of adapting to several
socioeconomic scenarios different
from the middle class scenario,
where people have a general, or
even high income, a 9 to 5 job, a
car and a dog.
This mono-scenario environment is
being positioned because ‘everyday
life’ activities in the Bijlmer-
meers’ buildings and surround-
ings are not being taken in ac-
count sufficiently. These ‘everyday
life activities’ can be both legal
and illegal, are often depending
on the socioeconomic conditions of
the area and often bare (lay bare?
reveal?) very exclusive, unexpect-
ed and typical potentials for the
area.
In case of the Bijlmermeer you
might think of the spontaneous
emergence of churches, business-
es, restaurants, shops, bars or
even brothels that are situated
the parking lots, boxes and living
rooms. They emerge out of spac-
es that are cheap, easily modifi-
able or big enough to be changed
into a program that is required
by the inhabitants of the Bijlmer-
meer. For example, priests used to
start night intakes for junkies in
places that where actually meant
for traffic or storage purposes.
Municipality came and shut these
down as it was prohibited to house
people in those spaces. On top of
that it was impossible to get the
required permits for these places,
leaving the junkies on the street
again. This story was an example
given by Jan Willem Sluiskens, the
Bijlmermeer coordinator of the mu-
nicipality who had to go and shut
this priest down. An act he was
definitely not proud off.
He showed us the inefficiencies of
certain policies in reality; people
are opposed right at the beginning
of their attempt to participate in
the Bijlmer society. These people
felt sabotaged by rules and regu-
lations as certain valuable ini-
tiatives never got a chance. In
this situation policies simulate
disbelief, distrust and disobedi-
ence, instead or order and trust.
The example of Jan Willem Slu-
iskens shows how peoples initia-
tives where often being torn apart
by rules and regulation, just be-
cause these actions did not fit a
Fig.12.
new housing
put out for sale
by its owners
typical Dutch way of doing things.
The point is that the Bijlmer in-
habitants had a far more intensive
or intelligent way of dealing with
space than the rest of the Neth-
erlands could imagine. Therefore
it often seemed strange, false or
illegal.
This means that activities and
talents that emerge out the Bi-
jlmermeer are less available to
potential metropolitan, regional
or global visitors. The inhabit-
ant’s chance on a profitable or
liveable environment is being re-
duced. On top of that it seems
that built surroundings do not
provide a clear physical acces-
sibility for visitors. This makes
it even harder to have access to
the environments of local talents
or activities. And it explains why
this area is an unknown ‘void’ to
most people in the Netherlands and
why the population in Ghana could
possibly know more about the
Bijlmermeer than the population in
the Netherlands. In this sense the
Bijlmermeer has a mission to be-
come more accessible to the Dutch
inhabitants of Amsterdam and the
region of Amsterdam Southeast it-
self. This would make the charac- fore it was being reduced to a typ-
teristic socioeconomic potentials, ical Dutch ‘vinex’ village. Prob-
cultural initiatives and ‘everday- ably we would have learned more
life’ activities of the Bijlmer from our mistakes.
more available.
Nevertheless it was the revitali-
sation of the recent years that
erased the existing built sur-
roundings. The existing buildings
had to make way for a large amount
of generic housing. This replac-
es the Bijlmer history, identity,
characteristics and part of its
inhabitants with a generic middle
class that initiates a gentrifying
effect, making it easier to for-
get what happened in the Bijlmer-
meer. The risk in this is that we
forget to learn from the mistakes
we made in architecture, urbanism,
immigration and politics, both na-
tional and International. All top-
ics are very contemporary topics
in our Dutch society, making the
Bijlmer a typical example of mod-
ern planning and Dutch politics,
which is now being demolished.
It would have been interesting to
see how this original ‘new town’ of
the Bijlmermeer could have evolved
into a real Amsterdam city-borough
and international centrality, be-
Fig.13.
Gliphoeve flatslabs
How
Jouke Sieswerde and I went to the
Bijlmermeer, talked to people on
the street, analysed its history,
compare it to late modern areas in
Rotterdam, discussed the qualities
of the Bijlmermeer with its inhab-
itants and stayed overnight sev-
eral days to feel what it is like
to life there. We took the condi-
tion of the Bijlmermeer in 2005
as a starting point and speculated
on what it might be like in 2015.
This way we found valuable ingre-
dients we could reassemble for a
new housing project.
I made a spatial recipe that con-
sists out of;
 Fig.14.
new program and
infrastructural
layout for the
Northern
Bijlmermeer
Daalwijkdreef area.

1. A regional urban strategy; for legenda see

fig.29

for the initiation of socioeconomic activities in

several neighbourhoods (in the Bijlmer)
 Fig.15.
sketch model of a
part in the new
layout for the
Bijlmermeer.
It shows a
sloping landscape

2. A built environment that is integrated that is intergrated

with a housing
block, water
with the green landscape and public space; surfaces and
entrees for
realised by phasing several experiences of entering appartments, shops
and neighbourhoods
or leaving territories and assembleing this effect
by emphasising the readability between several
topological scale transitions, both in- and outside
the buildings.
 Fig.16.
Full sketch model
of the new layout
at te Daalwijk
flat area. It
it setup out of
triangular slopes,

3.The extension of a shopping area with housing; Shops, parks

watersurfaces,

a platform where local business ambitions could meet roof tarreces and
circulation for ;

those of the housing corporations or the municipality. -Region amsterdam

-Amsterdam
Southeast
-The Bijlmermeer
-The neighbourhoods
-local housing
blocks
 Fig.17.
Triangular slopes
that run from
groundfloor into
the buildings,
allowing for shops
to be positioned

4. Built facilities for several forms of on groundlevel and

a big amount of
public space near
appropriation in the future; the appartments

implemented by designing flexibility in the ‘building

plinth’, the housing typology and the technical detailing.

The goal of this thesis was to Or in other words; to break down

deal with the monstrous scale of
the original Bijlmermeer project
and make ‘Nessy’ surface from the
‘void’ so people passing the lake
could enjoy its positive value.
the huge scale of the Bijlmermeer
in several territories for socio-
economic appropriations and every-
day life activities in the housing
slabs.
Fig.18.
topview a triangle
with a view on the
appartments,the
public slope, a
local street and
shops underneath
the appartments
allong the
Bijlmermeer
circulation at
the bottum.
Fig.19.
shops underneath
the appartments
allong the
Bijlmermeer
circulation at
the bottum.
Fig.20.
front view of the
appartments with
galleries, The roof
terraces, the local
street with entrees
and shops allong
the Bijlmermeer
circulation.
Fig.21.
view of the public
slab entering the
housing block.
Showing apartments,
both on the left
and the right,
and generating
shoppingspace
underneath. The
construction
literally frames
the public space
making it possible
for the apartments
to expand. In this
way the apartments
generate a natural
territorial
controle over the
public space.
Recipy Assembly
Fig.22.
possible apartment
extentions in case
the public slab is
being used properly
and maintained by
its inhabitants
Fig.22.
possible apartment
extentions in case
the public slab is
being used properly
without maintanance
by the inhabitants
Fig.22.
possible apartment
extentions in case
the public slab
abused and cause of
complaines

1.
A regional urban strategy
By making atlases about the job
generators, business initiatives,
living environments, industries
and the political territories that
relate the aforementioned through
policies and regulations, we could
put all of those issues on the re-
gional and city circulation of the
Amsterdam. In this sense we got
an insight on the accessibility
of important potential positions
in certain areas. This way it is
possible to physically reconnect
them with each other or with other
emerging available initiatives.
In the case of the Bijlmermeer
(in Amsterdam South-East); one
would look at the positions of,
financial-, shopping- and emerg-
ing ICT-‘centralities’4 and recon-
nect them with places where people
could start there own businesses,
like the Daalwijkdreef. This is
why we gave the Daalwijkdreef new
connections towards Almere, mak-
ing it part of a regional cir-
culation between Almere, Utrecht,
Hilversum,the IJselmeer, Amster-
dam South-Axis (ASA) and Amsterdam
City Centre (ACC).
This way Amsterdan South-East (ASE)
becomes a regional centrality of
business and housing, for starting
entrepreneurs. This centrality of-
fers a good connection with impor-
tant business partners or living
environments with employees5.
But most important of all…. it
could be the most contemporary an-
swer to the greatest shortage in
business space in Amsterdam: the
need for 13.000 m2 of space for
‘small scale business in a dwell-
ing environment’6. (especially im-
portant for ICT, entertainment and
media). It is the ideal ‘soft en-
vironment’ Amsterdam is looking
for7.
4 Gemeente Amsterdam, Dienst Onderzoek
en Satistiek ; Fact sheet ; nummer 1 |
februari 2007 Creative industry and ICT
in Helsinki and Amsterdam: a comparison
5 Gemeente Amsterdam, Dienst Onderzoek
en Statistiek; 2007_staat_stad_h05;
economie. Blz 81 and
6 Gemeente Amsterdam, Dienst Onderzoek
en Satistiek; Marktanalyse Daalwijk-
dreefzone Eindrapportage
7 ‘soft’ locations have factors like
tolerance, ethnic diversity, a lively
(sub) cultural scene and attractive
meeting places in the city. Read; Ge-
meente Amsterdam, Dienst Onderzoek en
Statistiek; 2007 fact sheet; Creative
industries in helsinky and amsterdam; a
comparison
 Fig.22.
regional
reconnections to
enhances Amsterdam
southeast and the
Bijlmermeer

IJselmeer
recreation area

Schiphol area

Bijlmermeer area

Almere city area

IJselmeer
Utrecht cityarea
recreation area

Schiphol area

Amsterdam
Bijlmermeer city
area
centre area
IJselmeer
recreation area
New regional
Almere city area
connection
Schiphol area
Creative indutry
Bijlmermeer area
Utrecht city area
Concentrations of
non-western
Almere city area
immigrants
Amsterdam city
Transitions
centre area areaʼs
Utrecht city area
Renewall
New areaʼs
regional
connection
Profide 3%-5% of
jobmarket
Creative
Amsterdamindutry
city
centre area
Profide 5%-10% of
Concentrations of
jobmarket
New regional
non-western
connection
immigrants
Profide over 10% of
Creative indutry
jobmarket
Transitions areaʼs
900
1500 Concentrations
Jobs
Renewall areaʼs of
2400
3000
non-western
immigrants
Art
Profide 3%-5% of
jobmarket
Transitions
Media and areaʼs
entertainment
Profide 5%-10% of
Renewall areaʼs
jobmarket
Creative business
Profide 3%-5% of
services
Profide over 10% of
jobmarket
jobmarket
900 Profide 5%-10% of
Jobs
1500
jobmarket
5 km
2400
3000
Art
Profide over 10% of
jobmarket
 8 Gemeente Amsterdam, Dienst Onderzoek
To provide a regional business en- en Satistiek; Marktanalyse Daalwijk-
vironment we have situated office dreefzone Eindrapportage
buildings at the north side of the 9 Taken from our ‘study case’ after the
Daalwijkdreef. They are positioned morphology off successful function ex-
as extensions of the existing flats ploitations in the late modern areas of
Rotterdam. Base on circulation and pub-
slabs and overarch the Daalwijk- lic space qualities. Done in 2007.
dreef, which is now bringing in re- 10 Emphasizing a regional territory and
gional by-passers and visitors as a tourist attraction along the Daalwijk-
potentials clients for both small dreef in the Bijlmermeer.
starters and bigger enterprises.
The Daalwijkdreef is able to fore-
see ASE in the 70.000 square metre
of office space that it needs8.
These office buildings have to be
flexible enough to be transformed
into housing in the future and will
be joined by a typical regional
program9 and a regional water con-
nection between the IJsselmeer and
the Amstel10
The aforementioned 13.000 square
metres of business space has to
be dispersed throughout the apart-
ments and neighbourhoods of he Bi-
jlmermeer. This amount has to be
dissolved in housing typologies
and along urban axis.
Fig.23.
A poster,
explaining
municipality’s
policy and funding
for sterting
entreperneurs in
Amsterdam Southea.
Fig.24.
A poster,
explaining
municipality’s
policy and funding
for sterting
entreperneurs in
Amsterdam Southea.

IJselmeer
recreation area

Schiphol area

Bijlmermeer area

Almere city area

Utrecht city area

Amsterdam city
centre area

New regional
connection

Creative indutry

Concentrations of
non-western
immigrants

Transitions areaʼs

Renewall areaʼs

Profide 3%-5% of
jobmarket

Profide 5%-10% of
jobmarket

Profide over 10% of

jobmarket
 Fig.25.
creative ind. on the
regional and global
network. Pointing
out the Amsterdam
and Hilversum
concentration
overlapping with
transition and
renewall area.

IJselmeer
recreation area

Schiphol area

Bijlmermeer area
IJselmeer
recreation area
Almere city area
Schiphol area
IJselmeer
Bijlmermeer area
recreation
Utrecht cityarea
area

Schiphol area
Almere city area

Bijlmermeer
Amsterdam cityarea
centre area
Utrecht city area
Almere city area
New regional
connection

Creative
Amsterdamindutry
city
Utrecht city area
centre area
Concentrations of
New regional
non-western
connection
immigrants
Amsterdam city
Creative
centre indutry
area
Transitions areaʼs
Concentrations
New areaʼs of
regional
Renewall
non-western
connection
immigrants
Profide 3%-5% of
Creative
jobmarketindutry
Transitions areaʼs
Concentrations
Profide 5%-10% of
of
Renewall areaʼs
non-western
jobmarket
immigrants
Profide 3%-5% of
Profide over 10% of
jobmarket
Transitions
jobmarket areaʼs
900 Profide 5%-10% of
1500
Renewall
jobmarketareaʼs
Jobs
5 km
2400
3000
Profide
Art 3%-5%
Profide over ofof
10%
jobmarket
jobmarket
Fig.26.
sketch of the lifted
regional circulation
in connection
with the Bijlmer
infrastructure and
program.
2. A built environment that is in-
tegrated with the green landscape
and public space
One thing that the original Bijlmer
was lacking is an urban circulation
on ‘ground level’. All the major
circulation was lifted from this
ground level and placed on dikes.
This way there was enough space
for an abundance of park life.
The idea was to put luxurious flat
slabs in this green luscious land-
scape and provide a collective
garden strictly meant for leisure
and cycling.
This concept prohibited cars and
the dispersal of shops throughout
the area. As a result the area be-
came less accessible, both physi-
cally and mentally. People had no
practical reason to go inside the
green landscape and the area was
lacking the urban axis or city
circulation that normally generate
territorial clarity and everyday
life activities. Although the in-
habitants loved the green panorama
and the amount of open space, it
was the lack of city circulation
on ground level that made it impos-
sible for them to experience a lo-
cal environment. Therefore, people
often experienced the territory
as very big and quite monotonous.
The public space, green landscape
and buildings were not integrat-
ed into one another at all. They
where just superposed on top of
one another and copied throughout
the Bijlmer.
If one wants to integrate the green
landscape with the housing and its
public space, one has to phase
zones of territories by means of
circulation. Meaning;
- Adding efficient circulation
for the city, the neighbour
hoods and the
buildings,
- Defining clearly which
territory one enters
or leaves
- Considering the facilities
that these territories could
offer for inhabitants,
visitors and by-passers of
this environment.
Fig.27.
origional green
structure of the
Bijlmermeer
So we;

- Added circulation for all scales, namely for;

Amsterdam Southeast (regional connection),
Bijlmermeer (connected to city centre),
Neighbourhoods(linking neighbourhoods) and
Local streets (activating the building skirts or plinth of the flat slabs
with shorter streets that connects buildings directly).

- Emphasized territories with several water bodies,

like a regional water connection (that assists the regional territory) ,
water channels(that assists the Bijlmer territory),
water streams(that assists the Neighborhood territory),
water creaks (that assists the local territory) and
water puddles
(that can activate smaller places as water parks for children).

- And collected successful facilities like;

functions, street furniture, shops and urban typologies from
other ‘late-modern’ areas and Bijlmer inhabitants.
We compared their success, circular position and aesthetic qualities
over the years, so we could speculate on their importance for an
active and sustainable living environment.
An amount of possibilities was gathered, through which it was possible to generate a patchwork of roads,
Fig.28.
lack of activity
Fig.29.
These maps explaine
the territorial
composition of the
proposed program
and infrastructural
layout allong the
Daalwijk dreef
New water structure
OLD

NEW
OLD

NEW
Fig.30.
- Newtown of the
Bijlmermeer showing
little territorial
infrastructure
- Newtown in
Rotterdam showing
the crossing between
the neighbourhood and
local circulation.
water bodies and function related
to territories in the Bijlmermeer.
It was even possible to give the
‘ground-level’ back to its inhab-
itants by introducing local allot-
ments or smaller unplanned plots.
These places have the potential of
initiating a wild growth of veg-
etation or activities that used to
emerge out of the Bijlmer spots
that where less maintained by mu-
nicipality. This flora emerged
spontaneously and housed all sorts
of fauna and had a natural land-
scape quality that is typical for
the Bijlmer.
If we implement a new dwelling area
we should have to respect, or deal
with, this landscape as a vital
ingredient.
Our designs will be subordinat-
ed to this landscape and could
be overgrown as well! New build-
ing designs should either be very
transparent or take the landscape
up as a public facility.
This way we are able to maintain
the green panoramic landscape of
the Bijlmermeer.
3. The extension of a shopping area
with housing
Fig.31.
Unmaintained green
landscape overtaking
the formal newtown
design of the
Bijlmermeer
Fig.32.
sketch of the lifted
regional circulation
in relation with the
Bijlmer infrastructure
and program.
It shows an
exterior that
suports the
appropriation
of the ‘empty’
courtyards or
uncharged spaces
‘in-between’
territories.
Fig.33.
Bijlmermeer networks,
that generates
portholes through the
buildings,facilitates
bigger program near
the crossings with
other network scales.
The portholes are
perfect spaces to mark
these territorial
transitions
Fig.34.
Neighbourhood
networks are perfect
for small shops. This
enhances the cohesion
between several
nearby neighbourhoods
in the Bijlmermeer
Fig.35.
The transition from
neighbourhood networks
to local territorry
can be emphasized by
local leisure program
or shops in small
pavilions
Fig.36.
The transition from
neighbourhood networks
to local territorry can
also be emphasized by a
blockage.
Think of small garden
fences,
platforms,porche,veranda
or water ditches
Fig.37.
small infrastructures
along the gardens
devine the local
territories of the
inhabitants
Fig.38.
lokal and private
porch gardens in
the plinth of the
flatslabs
 should prevent a ‘mono function- through several buildings or
Making an extension of the Amster- al’ regional centre. It should paths behind backyards,
damse-Poort that would reach out take the transitions between ter- generating clusters of apart
to the west corner of the Daal- ritories in account and position ment, offices or gardens)
wijkdreef was a perfect chance to ‘meeting places’ in-between these
try and integrate seemingly con- territories both in and outside of - The Entrance scale
tradictory principles; the buildings11 . (entrée,elevators and
staircases)
a This last aspect is being dealt
The new area should ‘concentrate’ with by divining generic phas- - The Indoor scale
activities and housing, while it es from ground level towards and (hallway,wardrobe area,
should respect the green landscape throughout the houses or apart- guestrooms)
and even stimulate its growth and ments. These phases are the steps
green appearance, at the same in the building circulation and un- - The Inner scale
time. derstood as scale experiences that (living room,kitchen,
are related to a sense of commu- dinner room)
b nity. This way one could imagine
The area should allure new visi- who would be involved with certain - The Screened scale
tors but protect the territory of phases in the building circula- (toilets, bathroom,
inhabitants. tion. In other words: phases for sleeping room)
privacy control in the circulation
c system of the housing slab.
The area should address the munic- Jouke Sieswerda and I defined sev-
ipalities’ agenda of the shopping eral scales in a building;
centre and possible local agendas
from inhabitants.

d - The Block scale These scales help inhabitants to

But most importantly; it (additional circulation deal with visitors in their house
Fig.39.
The public entree
of the block scale
or network. This
transition from the
neighbourhood scale
( network ) to the
Block network is
simular to the the
small paths behind
the gardens of normal
rowhousing
and business. Spots in between positive and negative scenarios. 12 Different cultures have different de-
mands for there house and these demands
these phases or scales are a very might be contradicting when one house-
effective space to receive visi- hold takes over from another one.
tors or retreat from by-passers. 13 When business is being done at home
These spaces in-between these it should be possible to protect or
scales are facilities for human introduce the household in a very con-
trolled way.
interaction and formal introduc-
tion into the next phase.
This aspect is very important for
doing business at home or in a
dwelling environment and helps
households or companies to define
their boundary.

The apartments itself are divided

into a ‘formal’ and ‘non-formal’
household and are combined with a
cluster of intimate spaces that
belong to the ‘screened scale’.
These concepts were developed af-
ter a number of interviews with Bi-
jlmer inhabitants. The inhabitants
explained the necessity for a flex-
ible concept for privacy control
and the need for formal phases in
the household. We concluded that
the flexibility for appropriation
is very important when households
are multiculturaand clients12 are
being received at home13. This mul-
tifunctional flexibility for appro-
priation has to be developed for
Fig.40.
The block network
crosses the more
private galeries
on the first floor.
This suports
blockfacilities,
collective program
or small studio’s for
business
Fig.41.
The block scale
crossing the galeries
on the other side
of the street is
welcomed by a small
cluster that suport
blockfacilities,
collective program or
small studio’s for
business.
Fig.42.
This is the transition
from the Bijlmer
network to the entree
network of the
building. Or in oter
words;The private
entree for the
appartmentbuilding,
this entree is
enriched with
mailboxes and bench to
facilitate meetings
and a good view
over the visiting
public on the Bijlmer
network scale.
Fig.43.
The transition from
the entree scale to
the indoorscale. This
area allows neighbours
to ‘hang out’.It is
here that inhabitants
negotiate their
boundaries between
their household and
other apartments on
the entree scale.
Fig.44.
The transition from
the entreescale to
the indoor scale.
This introduces the
household
Fig.45.
transition from the
innerscale to the
screened scale.
Fig.46.
the screened scale.
Fig.47.
Scenario sequence
explaining the operating
possibilities of the
building during several
circumstances
Fig.48.
overview of the
standard units that
can be used as ‘1 room
studio’s’ or combined
into appartments.
This could even be
done later on as
the construction is
made out of flexible
wooden elements.
The gallery, the
appartments entree
and the formal side
of the household is
situated in the bottum
of the picture. The
backside and informal
side at the top.
Fig.49.
backside and terrace
of the apartment.
Fig 50.
Frontside of the
apartments
Fig.51.
backside of the
block and view on the
public slope
Fig 52.
1. formal front
( light pink),
intimate middle
(red) and informal
back side( dark
pink)
of the apprtment
4. Built facilities for several
forms of appropriation in the fu-
ture
The public space, on top of the
supermarket, acts as an entrance
buffer for the aforementioned
‘block scale’ circulation. The en-
trée could be closed of or con-
trolled by appointing it to the
inhabitants when business is bad
due to a socioeconomic crisis. The
design is made in such a way that
its public space could be filled up
with extensions of apartments or
small office in the building.
This means that its materials and
detailing should provide an easy
opportunity for transformations.
Using ‘Lenotech’, a cheap wood-
en sandwich panel system, for the
construction of walls would allow
Fig 53. Fig 54.
2. basic order for 3. possible
expantion expantions
an inhabitant to easily adjust or to what life will be like.
cut out openings the way he or she
prefers. This way apartments can
be combined or altered.
The technical construction details
are put together in such a way that
they can be easily reassembled or
repositioned in case of an exten-
sion. The treatment of the pub-
lic space and these technical de-
tails, during the lifespan of the
building, will express the condi-
tions through which the community
went. Possible social and business
initiatives are facilitated and
inscribed in the built material
and fabric. The built environment
could facilitate and even express
various socioeconomic scenario’s.
Time would literally tell if the
building could adequately respond
Fig.55.
plan first floor

.
42
g.
Fi
e
se

see Fig.41. see Fig.40. see Fig.39.

3.
g.4
Fi
e
se
e 6.
e 4. se g.4
se g.4 i
F
Fi
e e 45.
s g.
Fi
Fig.56.
lightweight
flexible wooden
element thet
form the main
construction.
Fig.57.
Finnforest product
principles for
flexible wooden
light weight
constructions
Fig.58.
sketch of the
building section
with finnforest
products and green
roof terraces
Fig.58.
principle details
for the roof,floors
front and back.
The details are
setup in such a way
that they can be
easily adjusted,
dismantled and
replaced.
Possible extentions

Possible extentions
Conclusion
The explained strategy shows how
the built environment is no longer
directing lifestyles and becomes
an infrastructural programmatic
platform with cheap flexible spaces
facilitating possible social and
economic activities in everyday
life.
Time and technical details would
tell if its cooperative, communal
or collective spaces are flexible
enough to facilitate its successes
and survival! In this sense it is
empowering inhabitants over time
instead of directing lifestyle im-
ages in the future.
In other words: this place is not
directing an image but is facili-
tating the emergence of territories
for communities over the years.
These territories are changing and
not always in such a clear way
that it is immediately transparent
to outsiders, but these changes
will always be very essential for
the residing quality of the inhab-
itants, just like a real city! To
understand and experience the po-
tential excitement of these places
one should give them time before
one decides whether to demolish
them. So what is important for the
Bijlmermeer, and all of its sib-
ling areas, is to give this place
a chance and to believe in its
people! For the good and the Bad.
From my point of view; The Bijlmer- them more easily that the facili-
meer has been refurnished accord- ties that where formally meant for
ing to the vision of developers, these activities. It was the op-
municipality and corporation and posite of the super-scenario and
their view on housing, its exploi- shows how mono-appropriative the
tation and usage by a middleclass super scenario is to be appropri-
target group. It is a vinex where ated. This phenomena of alterna-
people have a car and are able to tive appropriation behind the
buy and maintain their house. This scenes of the bijlmermeer could be
housing environment is their per- called the anti super scenario or
fect hero and goal! I won’t state anti hero.
that people who do not apply to
these criteria of middle class are
immediately excluded but it sure
makes it harder to live harder
for them to reside in a suitable
house.
Beside this the planners forget to
learn from the past and that the
middleclass can stop to exist when
social economic conditions dete-
riorate, move out or when public
facilities become very poor. The
Bijlmer history emphasizes sev-
eral scenarios and shows which as-
pects and public facilities where
important and used in alternative
ways, so people could emerge out
of the dark with initiatives, com-
panies or qualitative lives. The
things also happened in the ‘dark’
places behind the scenes of the
Bijlmermeer. Because these plac-
es where free to appropriate in
anyway possible. People could de-
fine their territories and control
Fig.60.
Night view with
illuminated
shopping plinth
The anti hero generates a far stron-
ger aerial characteristic than the
heroic vinex super-scenario and
allows people to emerge out of
crisis with initiatives as people
take control of their territories
they need to do this. This is why
the hero and the anti-hero should
be in balance. The environment
should be able to respond to sev-
eral scenario’s between good and
bad conditions and still allow the
inhabitants to control and main-
tain the territories they need.
This is real privacy from my point
of view. To be able to control ar-
eas and space where you can decide
if you want to be alone or with
other and appropriate these ter-
ritories according to your needs,
for both commercial and non com-
mercial purposes. If we can ar-
range these spaces as architects
and planners we enable talent to
emerge with their initiative in
both good and bad times.
Fig.61.
Night view of the
building entree,
its street and its
wsurrounding on the
Bijlmer network.
At the frond there
is a pavilion
near the water
channel this
pavilion is a bar
or restaurant with
a water terrace
and emphasizes the
transition between
the Bijlmer network
and neighbourhood
network.
cohabitating doing business gardening joking stressing
hahAHA

partying shopping dreaming relaxing in need

zzZZZ

meeting working listening grieving

..................

flirting burying thinking enjoying

planting having a conference contemplating learning

harvesting marrying reflecting surviving

inviting dwelling planning getting mad