Where in Zuidas
There is quite a lot happening along the western side of Beatrixpark. Work is under way on the construction of the Park Meadows residential towers and next year sees the start of construction work on the Habitat Royale housing complex on plot 2 (see map). All of this means that the public space in this area will also be changing. In recent years, local residents have had several opportunities to contribute ideas about what it should be like. We have now drafted a preliminary design based on that. Although this area is not officially part of Beatrixpark, the neighbourhood would like it to feel connected to it (and we agree). We have taken that into account as far as possible.
Extending the park-like feel
‘At consultation meetings, local residents expressed a preference for a green and natural look for the area’, explains landscape architect Alessandro Solci. ‘The two bridges across the water actually mark the entrance to the park. But when asked where exactly the park should begin, local residents were quite happy for that to be much earlier.’ This is why Solci and his team have tried to extend the park-like feel. ‘We’re doing that by using the same materials as in the park, for example for the structure of the paths. Ultimately, there will also be lots of native trees and large shrubs that also feature in the park.’
Schedule
The public area will be landscaped in three phases in the years ahead. This is because of the construction of the residential buildings. When these have been completed, works for the A10 Zuid tunnel will also start in this area.
- The section around Park Meadows (first half of 2027)
- The section between Park Meadows and Habitat Royale, including the ‘open bowl’ (second half of 2027)
- The section next to Christian Neefestraat, including the new cycle path (around 2034)
Open bowl
The real highlight of the design is the so-called ‘open bowl’, a green semi-circle shaped field surrounded by trees that runs down to the waterside. This will be located between Park Meadows and Habitat Royale. Solci: ‘This marks the visual and physical connection between the park and the public area to the west of it. It also connects the two residential buildings. It’s a space to meet up and relax.’ The public space will also feature recreation areas amid the planting, a natural waterside and a range of routes for pedestrians and cyclists. There will be a footpath along the waterside connecting to the routes in Beatrixpark. Just behind this field, there will be a playground equipped for young children.
Green
The preliminary design includes 225 trees, some of which will be evergreen. There will be blossoming trees and trees with autumn colours in the public area. The plants chosen will provide food for insects, birds and other animals. The varieties of trees and plants will also match the existing and native plants, both in Beatrixpark and Beethovenplein.
Cycle path in Christian Neefestraat
The final section next to Christian Neefestraat cannot be landscaped until after the completion of Zuidasdok. After construction of the motorway tunnel, space will be created to add green landscaping to the embankment and link it to the park. In the future, the new cycle path leading to the RAI will also be in this section. The preliminary design includes a proposed location for this cycle path, but it may ultimately turn out to be different. In order to ensure that there are already two cycle routes through this area at an early stage, we will first add a temporary cycle path between the two residential buildings. This will run over a temporary embankment to Beatrixpark.
Want to know more? In our library, you will find the planning map and detailed information about the preliminary design (in Dutch).
We are interested in hearing your views about the preliminary design of the public space. We therefore welcome your responses below.
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