Major Development for Area Around Wittenborg Amsterdam

27.09.2019

Wittenborg Amsterdam Students Mix with Politicians and Entrepreneurs at Freezone Festival

Students from Wittenborg Amsterdam attended the Freezone Festival this weekend in Amstel III - the site of a major city development project in east Amsterdam. Students were able to meet and engage with local entrepreneurs and politicians during the event, which described the exciting changes planned for the area in the coming years.

The City of Amsterdam plans to transform the neighbourhood, currently dominated by offices, into a residential and working area that combines living, working, shopping, education and facilities in a lively city district with a park-like environment. The development would require accessible infrastructure and good, quality public spaces like bicycle and pedestrian routes, more green areas and space for sport and recreation.

According to Wittenborg senior lecturer Amy Abdou, students were excited to learn about these developments and meet the local movers and shakers behind the scenes. Four large apartment complexes will be built in the vicinity with room for restaurants, bars, community meeting spaces and a new park.

"Students could also enter a lottery where the main prize was one year, rent-free accommodation in one of the first housing units to be delivered in 2022," Abdou said. "Overall it was a great opportunity for Wittenborg to connect with our community. We look forward to being a part of these transformations in the coming years.

"Around 5,000 homes will be built here by 2027. The ambition is to grow by 2040 into a city district with 15,000 homes. The housing supply in the area is becoming very diverse, and varies from owner-occupied housing to social and rental housing in the middle and upper segment. The apartments in KARSP - the first office to be transformed into living spaces - range in size from 55 m2 to 80 m2 and are equipped with modern bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens. The houses are developed with various energy-saving technologies, solar cells and a natural roof, which means that the houses can be delivered with an A +++ energy label. KARSP will be provided with a closed parking garage and a bicycle shed under the houses for residents only. The project is five minutes by bike from Wittenborg's Amsterdam Campus."