Vertical maze of cables and pipelines in Ravel

Anyone who regularly has to be in Beethovenstraat, just to the south of Valley, cannot have failed to notice it. Since the start of 2025, we have begun a major operation here to remove cables and pipelines. This is being done to enable us to build The Harmony on this site (so-called plots C and D) at a later stage. Before that, the plot needs to be prepared for construction, i.e. free of cables and pipelines. This is nothing out of the ordinary, but there is something slightly special going on here. This is because the cables and pipelines here are all much deeper underneath each other than is normally the case. Digging them up created a kind of (underground) vertical maze.

The depth was not the only challenge. This small site is the location of an important junction of cables and pipelines that supply all of Zuidas with electricity, data and heat. The networks are also bigger than others in the city because Zuidas is home to many large buildings that need to be supplied with energy. In addition, a lot of data traffic and communication runs through this junction. In other words: it involved more than just moving a cable.

Because all of the networks are located at different depths, we had to excavate a layer of earth for each network. As soon as we had moved each network, we dug further towards the next one, and so on. This ultimately reached 5 m below street level. We also had to take extra care not to disturb the network located above. This was a huge precision operation, because we were working with different parties (e.g. Liander, Vattenfall and Waternet), each of which had to access the cables and pipelines in turn. Gaining access down there was slightly reminiscent of the laser scenes featured in action movies, where someone carefully abseils down without touching the red beams. Fortunately – and with a little care and attention – it all went remarkably smoothly.

At around 5 m, we have now reached the deepest pipelines in this junction. We have installed two new cooling pipelines. We are removing the old cooling pipelines at the start of 2026. We will then replace the earth and plots C and D will then be free of cables and pipelines. From May 2026, construction work will start here on The Harmony. The new Ravel residential district, which The Harmony will soon be a part of, will be a mixed, green, low-traffic neighbourhood offering space for around 1,350 homes. More than half of these will be suitable for families, including the mid-market rented properties in The Harmony.