AMSTERDAM The historical centre of Amsterdam is one of the biggest of the world. The canal belt dating from the 17th century represents the economical and cultural position of Amsterdam at that period. Two centuries later city was extended again (for example with the district of de Pijp), which, nevertheless, did not help changing the fundamental housing problems substantially. The desolate conditions on the housing market lead to the first housing law at the end of the 19th century. It was applied for the first time at a huge scale on the Urban Extension Plan South (Uitbreidingsplan Zuid) by Berlage. The buildings within this scheme have been designed by architects of the Amsterdam School such as Pieter Lodewijk Kramer and Michel de Klerk.

Some years later the functionalist movement promised, to offer cheaper and more effective solutions for the housing need. These ideas have been apllied in the General Extension Plan (Het Algemeen Uitbreidingsplan AUP) from1935, which until 1960 formed the basis of planning for the Western Garden Cities, Bijlmermeer and Amsterdam North. Nowadays former har-bour areas along the IJ-river centre are being transformed into living and office quarters. The Eastern Harbour District with its various approches in urban schemes and architecture is considered a reference for similar developments. Other ambitious city extension projects are being realised on the artificial islands of IJburg east of the ring highway and in the Southern Business District (Zuidas) near the Amsterdam Airport Schipol.

architecture website of the tourism board (en)
arcam - architectural map a selection of projects
amsterdam.nl (nl, en) internet page of the city council

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