Climate Adaptation Platform featured the Netherlands’ newest city, Almere, which they built on reclaimed land measuring 1,000 square kilometers to alleviate crowding in nearby cities of Amsterdam and Utrecht.
When they conceptualized it in the 1970s, one thing was clear, Almere, a medieval Dutch word for the inland sea, will not become like any other city filled with monotonous high-rise buildings, a popular post-war urban design.
Instead, local architects and homeowners will have the freedom to design their own homes and what their infrastructure and amenities will look like.
Built on an artificial island towards the end of the 1960s, Almere’s first residents came in the late 1970s, and established as a municipality in 1984. Now the city is home to more than 200,000 residents.
The inspiration for the city would come from England’s garden city: Letchworth and Welwyn, which embodies generous living space, contemporary house designs and where schools, health care centers, public transport, and short distances between living areas and nature are integral to the site – an idea scorned at the time by some Dutch planners who follow the high-rise, anonymous, and monotonous building designs famous at that time and calls Almere’s design concept “new foolishness.”
Although the new land has become a blank canvas for many Dutch architects and self-builders, Almere does not only cater to those who have the means to build creative structures. The city consists of various neighborhoods, each with its theme and flair.
For instance, the Almere Poort district features low-cost housing. But low cost does not mean poor quality living when you incorporate nature and the area’s lovely beaches, which has elevated homeowners’ quality of living.
Then are exciting neighborhoods like the Homeruskwartier with 1500 individually owner-designed homes around tree-lined boulevards, parks and waterways, local schools, markets, and community facilities.
The Regenboogbuurt or Rainbow neighborhood features a “kaleidoscope colors rule – tall curvy yellow houses butt up against aquamarine semis and bright red residential towers (the Rode Donders), which reference grain silos once typical of Dutch agricultural landscapes.”
The De Fantasie (The Fantasy) neighborhood, as the name suggests, features “eye-popping” architectural designs like geometrically shaped houses and dwellings that cleverly combines various building materials such as glass, mahogany, and aluminum.
Almere mainly owes its success to the freedom given to its residents to actualize their concept of “design for living” when building their homes and infrastructure. Its nature and coastlines are integrated into its city’s design – most of its residents live within five minutes of parks, public transport, and cycle paths, a feature that residents highly value.
Almere continues to evolve today, and the city’s blueprint is an inspiration for innovative urban planning. Almere demonstrates that an innovative, sustainable, and resilient city is not just the work of a few people but requires the input of many over time, allowing people to experiment and execute their vision. Professionals around the world visit the city to learn from Almere.
From April 14 to October 9, 2022, Almere will host the Floriade Expo 2022. Blooboop reports that the event expects to welcome 2 million worldwide visitors over six months, inspiring them with events exploring the future green city.
According to the article, “Alongside pavilions from several different countries worldwide, the host country will showcase within the Dutch Innovation Experience in the Natural Pavilion.”
The urban infrastructure supports the continued change, development, and adaptation of cities. Almere is a city worth examining by infrastructure managers.
For instance, how would these city developments impact and change plans for infrastructure development, renewal, and requirements?
At the same time, the world is facing a climate crisis. Almere’s approach that focuses on innovative architecture, sustainability, and social enrichment exemplifies what a climate-resilient and adaptable city should be.
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