A public meeting place
It is not often that the municipality grants an opportunity to develop an important public meeting place for the whole city. That is certainly a big ambition for this project. It is vital that the building is flexible and can be adapted easily over time. And of course, it should also be highly sustainable. In terms of the building’s appearance, the end user (OBA), its partners and the municipality all agree that the building should reflect the philosophy of OBA NEXT: open and inviting, a distinctive building where everyone can feel welcome and at home. The winning party will be the developer that can realize these ambitions.
Register through Tenderned
On 26 April, the City of Amsterdam approved its credit decision for OBA NEXT, a public place for innovative learning and development for the whole of Amsterdam. This means that the arrival of OBA NEXT in Zuidas is definitive. The tender is the next step in this process. Interested parties can register in Tenderned. The programme includes the realization of OBA NEXT (around 8500 m2) and a public bicycle parking facility on behalf of the municipality, and in addition the creation of around 16,500 m2 of office space in the same building, at the expense and risk of the future developer.
Location
The plot (Plot 2i) is located in the Kenniskwartier, close to Amsterdam Zuid station and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. It is flanked by Mahlerlaan to the south and one of the squares that will lead to the station to the north. The plan fits perfectly with the profile of the Kenniskwartier, as well as the existing local community. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Amsterdam UMC academic hospital and many knowledge-intensive companies are located here, meaning that knowledge and innovation are already central to the area. In addition, approximately 1,700 homes will be built in the Kenniskwartier. A future slow traffic route from the station to the Vrije Universiteit will also run alongside the building, which will be known as the Diagonaal.
The City of Amsterdam’s vision for the area
Based on the Kunstenplan 2021-2024, the policy of the city is to work towards an inclusive cultural city providing art and culture for all residents of Amsterdam throughout the city. That includes the city centre, of course, but also areas further away and even places that are still undergoing development, such as Zuidas. The OBA NEXT project will make Zuidas more accessible to all residents of Amsterdam. It is important that this public meeting place provides more culture, adds to the vibrancy of Zuidas with an attractive residential area, and reinforces the theme of knowledge and innovation. What currently looks to some people like an impregnable fortress of office buildings and residential tower blocks should start to feel like a more natural and integrated part of the city for a new generation of Amsterdam residents.
OBA and its partners
OBA NEXT will be OBA’s innovation centre, a place where OBA can continue to develop, working with its current and future partners. Knowledge and information will be available in their latest form in OBA NEXT. There will be spaces for meeting, sharing knowledge and experimentation, with lively areas for lectures and workshops, coaching and other educational activities, in collaboration with social partners and companies from all around Amsterdam.
Selection and award criteria
Interested parties can register. Based on the selection criteria, three parties will be chosen to participate in a dialogue on the three best preliminary designs. These will be evaluated on the basis of the award criteria. The final award will then be made to one of the parties, who can then proceed to develop and implement the plan. Once the ground for the office section has been leased, construction work can start. OBA NEXT should open its doors in 2027.
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