Upgrade for southern section of Mahlerplein

A beautiful square has been in place between Amsterdam Zuid station and Mahlerlaan since 2015. Compared with that, the southern section – between the two towers of Symphony and Mahlerlaan – has been given a raw deal so far. It’s mainly used to park bicycles and scooters, to the annoyance of many residents. Especially since there is an excellent alternative not very far away: the spacious and free underground Mahlerplein bicycle park. For the scooters and motorbikes, we previously installed parking spaces in Mahlerlaan.

So, there is every reason for giving this section of Mahlerplein an upgrade. The new design will ensure that both sections of the square match, creating a unified look and feel. Just like in the northern section, we will be creating wide natural stone edging and there will be the same bulbs, trees, and plants. Adding this natural stone landscaping will leave less room on the upgraded square to park bicycles and scooters. We are having discussions with the Zuid city district about the possibility for enforcement action against obstructive parking, although it may be some time before we see results. In the meantime, we hope the new design deters people from parking and that people put their bicycles in the underground facility.

From 11 December 2020, we ask you to park your bicycle or scooter elsewhere in order to enable us to begin the makeover on 11 January 2021. In that first week, we will set up the site and demolish the existing square. The natural stone will be delivered on around 18 January. By the end of January, the broad contours of the upgrade will be visible. In February, we will work on the soil layer and landscape the area for the trees. This is precision work, because the entire structure is located above an underground car park. This means that the weight needs to be carefully distributed and proper drainage is extremely important. In late February or early March, we will plant the trees and clear up the site. If everything goes to plan, the square should be ready in March 2021.