Working, living, shopping, below and above the rail

Multiple land use rail yards Watergraafsmeer

The railway yard Watergraafsmeer is a fairly extensive urban use location near highways, close to a planned station and close to downtown. Ruland Architects has in collaboration with Laszlo Vakar and Paul Witteman Movares Netherlands, conducted a study into the partly multiple use of this large yard.


The yard is about six meters above ground level. It is possible to take over the sidings on a concrete slab supported by columns on the north side of the railway yard. While the flexibility is preserved for the sidings is the space beneath the concrete plate free for further development. The location near the highway, near a planned station and at the same time close to downtown, makes this location ideal for large-scale stores such as Media Markt, an AH-XL or a hardware store.

On the site of the current slope can be constructed a slow traffic route for pedestrians and cyclists along the track. From this promenade, the shops are accessible, in relation to the squares between the new development of residential blocks on the north side of the yard. Among the concrete slab shops are easily accessible from the new parking garages and can be supplied through the underground access road.

Above the tracks is construction of (student) housing and offices provided. These screens, in combination with a noise barrier, the noise level of the rail yard to the surroundings off. Because of this the freedom of movement increases on the yard. The buildings on the yard side have a noise-reducing wall.

At the entrances and elevation points to the shops, garages and homes transverse buildings are possible. Given the higher noise and the view, is the function of offices here obvious. The second flight opportunity for the offices is ensured via the underground supply zone of the shops.

In the outlined idea there is for both, the rail yards Watergraafsmeer as the city as a whole and Watergraafsmeer particularly, much to gain.

  • The yard, which must meet the requirements of the Environmental Management Act, gets a greater freedom and flexibility of use without the direct area is experiencing more direct disadvantage. In particular, the noise of the yard is greatly reduced in a simple manner. A significant amount of additional homes will be realized in connection with the planned housing development.
  • A significant amount of additional homes will be realized in connection with the planned housing development.
  • An opportunity is created for the establishment of megastores, including the required parking, near major highways and close to the center.
  • Existing locations within the city limits are released for development of high-quality buildings.

Het concept voor het meervoudig grondgebruik van het spoorwegemplacement Watergraafsmeer vormt daarmee een bijzondere op en een verrijking van huidige de ontwikkeling voor het Science Park te Amsterdam.

LocationWatergraafsmeer, Amsterdam
Floor area90.305 sq m gross floor area
Year2006
StatusStudy
ArchitectRuland Architects, Amsterdam
In association withLászló I. Vákár
Paul W. Witteman
Movares Nederland B.V., Utrecht
Images Ruland Architects, Amsterdam

© Ruland Architecten 2021