Urban Quality in High-speed Train Station Area Redevelopment: The Cases of Amsterdam Zuidas and Rotterdam Centraal

Abstract

The construction of the high-speed railways from Amsterdam to Brussels and Cologne induces a number of large and prestigious redevelopment projects around the stations at which the high-speed train will call. The article focuses on two of these: the Zuidas in Amsterdam and Rotterdam Central Station. Based on an analysis of the project plans and a series of in-depth interviews with key actors involved, the article investigates the objectives and development of the projects, particularly with regard to the question how and to which extent urban quality is taken into account in the project plans and the development process.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank all interviewees for their willingness and enthusiasm, and the two anonymous referees for their valuable comments on an earlier version of this article. The research on which this article is based is co-funded by Habiforum and NWO-Connekt.

Notes

1. Including representatives of: Benthem Crouwel/Team CS architects; Bouwfonds Property Development; De Architekten Cie.; Dutch Railways, Department of Commerce; Fortis Real Estate Development; ING Real Estate; Municipality of Amsterdam, Development Corporation; Municipality of Amsterdam, De-partment of Spatial Planning (2x); Municipality of Rotterdam, Development Corporation; Municipality of Rotterdam, Department of Urban Planning and Public Housing (3x); Zuidas Project Office.

2. Quotations are taken from authorized interview reports and translated from the Dutch.