Location: Haarlem, Netherlands
Program: Environmental vision (Omgevingsvisie)
Year: 2020
Commissioner: Municipality of Haarlem
Design directors: Olv Klijn, Eric Frijters
Project manager: Rens Wijnakker
Team: Lisanne Corpel, Yingzi Wang, Duong Bui, Yana Markos
The Position of Haarlem
Haarlem is faced with fundamental choices regarding its future while preparing for the instatement of the new ‘Omgevingswet’ in 2021. One of the most urgent choices regards the position of the city within the context of the fast developing Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam (MRA).
FABRICations carried out an in-depth, interdisciplinary investigation and drew two distinct future perspectives to show how choices might affect the future development of the city, and to facilitate the discussion about the desired direction of the future of Haarlem.
Axonometric zoom on Waarderpolder. The Spaarne perspective prioritizes an enhancement of slow local transport networks and maintenance of industry in Haarlem, whereas the Spoor perspective takes a more regional view on economy and housing.
A Residential city in the Metropolis of Amsterdam
Perhaps the most visible effect of the development of the MRA on Haarlem, is the fact that ever more people who are working in Amsterdam are moving to Haarlem because of the surging housing prices in Amsterdam. This leads to a growing imbalance between living and working, as well as increasing stress on the mobility system and the housing market of Haarlem.
The Spaarne perspective envisions affordable housing and autonomy from the region in terms of renewable energy production, implying that densification and implementation of pv panels would affect the architectural heritage of the city.
Spoor and Spaarne
As potential answers to the aforementioned tendencies, FABRICations sketched two different perspectives for the city of Haarlem. One perspective is called ‘Spoor’, which refers to the long existing railway connection between Haarlem and Amsterdam. This perspective centers on the consequences of decisions to capitalize on Haarlem’s relation to the MRA, hereby improving quality of life in existing neighborhoods, while relying on good connections with the region and working areas around public transport nodes.
Urbanization map from the Spoor perspective.
The other perspective is called ‘Spaarne’ which refers to the river that runs through Haarlem and is essentially responsible for the establishment of the city of Haarlem. This perspective takes a more local point of view, choosing for housing and facilities for people who work in Haarlem.
Urbanization map from the Spaarne perspective.
For each of these perspectives, a series of maps with the seven different themes present the qualities and consequences at the urban and regional level. On a neighborhood level, three archetypical neighborhoods have been investigated to show the spatial consequences of the perspectives on a local scale.
Axonometric zoom on the public transport node Buitenrust. The Spoor perspective focuses on enhancing regional transport infrastructure in combination with new housing typologies.