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A surprising waterside walk in Zuidas

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A surprising waterside walk in Zuidas

Even in Zuidas, water management is a challenge. For example, the passenger tunnel at Amsterdam Zuid station has been flooded at times. But there are also some more pleasant surprises. They even include a mini-polder, at the heart of Zuidas. Want to know more? Take a stroll and do the Water Walk (‘Ommetje Water’), an audio tour (in Dutch).

Jan Vonk
hoofdbeeld - Ommetje Water

Where in Zuidas

In 2015, videos appeared on social media of passengers wading through the passenger tunnel at Amsterdam Zuid station in wellies. Not everyone was prepared for the extreme rainfall and some removed their shoes in order to reach the platform without wet feet. This was not the first time that Zuid station has flooded: it also happened in the passenger tunnel in 2014. Although it was an unusual sight, it was not really a surprise: Zuidas has a lot of paved surfaces and in a heavy downpour, there are not many directions for the water to go. We come up with all kinds of solutions in our attempts to drain away excess water, but these solutions are not always visible. In the Ommetje Water audio tour, we give you a surprising insight. For example, what do you make of the underwater storage areas, the size of a swimming pool, or the so-called wadi’s (water drainage channels)? Find out for yourself in our carefully-devised audio tour.

Jan Vonk
Mini-polder in Fred. Roeskestraat

Walk with audio tour

In the Ommetje Water audio tour, we take you to eight locations, including the Nieuwe Meer lock and the Buitenveldert cemetery. You will not only learn all about water management, but also about the wonderful system of reservoirs, polders, pumping stations and culverts. When you’ve completed the audio tour, you’ll know exactly where you can find the mini-polder in Zuidas and be able to point out ‘the peeing woman’ – and much more. On a fine summer’s day, you might even take a dive from the slimme steiger jetty at the Nieuwe Meer, the ninth (bonus) location on the audio tour.

The whole walk will take around 90 minutes to complete, or slightly longer if you include the Nieuwe Meer bonus location. You can also do it by bike, in which case it will take around 45 minutes. Make sure you take some photos en route and share them on social media, with the hashtag #ommetjezuidas.

Jan Vonk
‘Wadi’ in Prinses Irenestraat

What do you need for the audio tour?

You can listen to the audio tour on your phone. To do this, go to www.zuidas.nl/ommetje-water. You will also need:

  • A mobile telephone with internet and charged battery
  • Headphones or earbuds
  • On your phone, switch on location under privacy and browser settings

Fancy another walk? Why not also do the Art, Green or Architecture walks (in Dutch)?

Redactie, on Tuesday, May 9, 2023

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