Imagine this: after 2035, around 100,000 square metres – roughly 14 football pitches – of space will become available in the heart of Zuidas. Although this is still some way off, a four-person team within Zuidasdok is already working on the design every day. It is a fascinating task, but certainly not a simple one. After all, much will still change over the next decade. ‘We will be constructing the A10 Zuid tunnel on both sides of the station, while the station itself is also being redeveloped. The public space must remain accessible and usable throughout these years. At the same time, we have a clear vision of the final result. Sometimes it feels as though we are playing chess on two boards at once.’
Giving a piece of Amsterdam back to the city
We speak with Niels Monster and Wouter Veugelers, members of the team responsible for designing both the temporary public space during construction and the final layout. Their enthusiasm is clear. ‘I think it’s fantastic to be able to design a part of Amsterdam that we will effectively give back to the city once the tunnel is completed’, says Monster. Veugelers adds: ‘And the great thing is: we are doing this for everyone. For travellers, for people who work and live here, and also for those with limited mobility. How do you do that as effectively as possible, while construction requires space and the ground is being excavated for the tunnel? That’s the challenge.’
Pleasant temporary spaces
Construction of the tunnel is set to begin in 2027, while the regeneration of Amsterdam Zuid station will also continue in the coming years. ‘We have agreed that the area should remain as pleasant as possible during construction’, says Monster. ‘You could simply fence off the works and pave everything, but that’s not what we want.’ Veugelers explains: ‘Take, for example, Eduard van Beinumstraat and the plaza on the south side of the new Brittenpassage, near Arnold Schönberglaan. This area will be dug up repeatedly in the coming years for the tunnel works. We will not excavate a one-kilometre construction pit all at once; instead, we will build the tunnel in sections of 25 to 30 metres. So somewhere, something will always be dug up. Even so, we are creating temporary public spaces with plenty of greenery, seating and almost exclusively circular materials. It has to be practical, but also of high quality. That is not necessarily easier or cheaper, but it is something we consider important.’
Space for tree roots
At the same time, the final design for after 2035 is not yet set in stone. Monster explains: ‘We have a clear vision and agreements in place, but the tunnel is still in the design phase. For example, we are looking at the depth of the tunnel. The deeper you build, the more soil layers you need to pass through, which introduces additional risks. At the same time, we want to plant trees on top of the tunnel and that requires sufficient soil depth.’ Veugelers adds: ‘Imagine having one metre of soil above the tunnel. That space must accommodate cables and pipelines, but also enough soil for tree roots, as well as systems for water supply and drainage. If that space is reduced, the room for roots becomes smaller too. It is up to us to find the best possible design solutions.’
Every centimetre counts
The tunnel design is not the only factor at play. ‘We also need to ensure that the 10 hectares can be maintained by garbage collectors, street cleaners and green maintenance teams’, says Monster. Additionally, the surrounding area continues to evolve. ‘There are studies being carried out to assess whether it is feasible to make certain traffic routes in Zuidas one-way in the future. That obviously affects the design of the public space. And public transport is also changing: there will be a new tram stop, a bus station and a fifth and sixth railway track. Every change leads to a series of new considerations.’ Veugelers concludes: ‘Our task is to respond to all these developments, always keeping the desired end result in mind. And we do – we fight for every centimetre.’
The final result
The tunnel will become part of a widened A10 Zuid. Between the De Nieuwe Meer junction and the Amstel junction, two extra lanes will be added in both directions for local traffic. The tunnel will free up approximately 100,000 square metres of additional space above ground. This will create room to expand Amsterdam Zuid station with a fifth and sixth railway track. A new tram stop and bus station will also be built on top of the tunnel roof. In addition, there will be space for green public areas such as the DokDakpark. The project will also reduce noise disturbance and improve air quality in the centre of Zuidas. The southern tunnel is scheduled for completion in 2034 and the northern tunnel in 2035.
This is the eighth in a series about the design of the tunnel in the A10 Zuid and about the techniques and challenges involved. The first was about preparations behind the scenes, the second looked at the lack of space for construction of the tunnel, the third article was about moving the A10 Zuid, article 4 focused on keeping Amsterdam Zuid station accessible during construction, article 5 explored earth-retention techniques, article 6 was about technical installations and article 7 focused on the removal of earth produced during the construction of the tunnel.
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