The Municipal Executive in Amstedam will start a procedure to designate three areas in Amsterdam as municipal protected cityscape. It concerns a part of Oud-Zuid, the Admiralenbuurt and Betondorp.
The areas are protected because, according to the municipality, they have a high urban, architectural and cultural-historical value. The new status should prevent buildings in the three neighborhoods from being demolished or modified beyond recognition.
The part of Oud-Zuid that is to be given a protected status includes the Concertgebouw and Museumpleinbuurt and De Pijp with the Amstel banks. The Overtoom and Vondelbuurt to the north of the Vondelpark will also be included in the plans.
‘Worth protecting’
“These three areas are each unique in their own way, and definitely worth protecting,” says Councilor Touria Meliani. “The atmosphere, the architecture of the buildings, the appearance of the streets and how they are arranged make a neighborhood a a place where residents feel connected and proud of. You have to cherish and protect that connection with the neighborhood as a city.”
According to the municipality of Amsterdam, the three areas reflect the growth of the city from the end of the 19th century up to and including the first quarter of the last century. “Both the urban design, the buildings and the landscaping are still easily recognizable and characteristic of this period of the city’s history,” said a spokesperson.
Insight
Before the areas become officially protected urban areas, all stakeholders — including the residents — will be given access to the plans, the municipality said. Their reaction to the plans will be incorporated into a proposal to the council, which will eventually have to vote on it.