Productive Amsterdam

This publication presents a selection of design proposals submitted for the 14th session of Europan, the Netherlands. Europan is an urban-architectural competition for design professionals (architects, urban planners, landscape architects, artists, ecologists, and social geographers) under the age of 40. The competition is organized every two years in several European countries, around a common theme, and involving sites provided by cities and/or developers. Europan NL has partnered with the City of Amsterdam to explore this year’s competition theme the Productive City, involving five sites featuring a challenging mix of social, economic and spatial conditions.

How can Amsterdam’s provision of workspace and housing respond to a diversifying, expanding population? What design strategies can revitalize and optimize under-utilised spaces in the city? What guidelines are needed to organize mixed-use, productive neighbourhoods? These questions and others are tackled by the award-winning designs, presented here alongside a series of essays highlighting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.