MVRDV

Almere and MVRDV to collaborate on urban quantum leap

(Rotterdam, October 1st, 2008) The city of Almere has commissioned MVRDV to substantially deepen and develop the existing concept vision ‘Almere 2030’ that foresees a doubling in scale, new urban qualities and a strong identity for the ‘new town’ outside Amsterdam. MVRDV will collaborate with a team of experts and the municipality on the programmatic and spatial long term planning for the fast growing city. Almere city councillor Adri Duivesteijn today opened the first work session. For the municipality Mr. Henk Meijer, project director for the structure vision oversees the project; for MVRDV its co-founder Mr. Winy Maas will be in charge of the project.

Almere, founded in 1984 on reclaimed land, has the ambition to grow into a city with a strong identity and a total of 350,000 inhabitants by 2030. This involves the building of 60,000 new homes and the creation of 100,000 new jobs for the expected 150,000 new inhabitants. A major investment in infrastructure, public transport and the attractive adjoining green belt including Almere’s long coastline will connect the city more with its surroundings.

MVRDV will work in close collaboration with the municipality on this framework for the future, based on the existing concept vision for ‘Almere 2030’. The new effort will consist of a substantial elaboration of the existing concept and the design of an inspiring programmatic and spatial development. This larger urban master plan will be conceived in a multidisciplinary team integrating social, economical and political issues. Special attention is given to sustainability and flexibility. The result will be presented to the citizens of Almere, the national and provincial government and serve as framework for the future expansion.

Henk Meijer about the collaboration with MVRDV: “We will start with this team an exciting and inspiring project. The quantum leap for Almere is a unique task which we will meet with enthusiasm and passion.”

MVRDV has a long history of engagement with Almere: Earlier projects included two studies on new ways of organic urban development for Almere Hout and Almere Homeruskwartier, a study for the A6 Boulevard and the study for Pampus harbour, a neighbourhood of 500 floating dwellings. Currently a part of Olympiakwartier is being developed, a dense urban neighbourhood of in total 220.000m2 mix use with public facilities.

MVRDV is currently engaged in a similar project to the Almere 2030+, be it on a metropolitan scale: Rethinking the future of Greater Paris, commissioned by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë.


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