Eastern Docklands

Last updated
Oostelijk Havengebied
Neighborhood of Amsterdam
Muziekgebouw aan het IJ.jpg
Map NL - Amsterdam - Oostelijk Havengebied.png
Location in Amsterdam
Coordinates: 52°22′N4°56′E / 52.367°N 4.933°E / 52.367; 4.933
Country Netherlands
Province North Holland
COROP Amsterdam
Borough Oost
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)

The Eastern Docklands (Dutch : Oostelijk Havengebied) is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands, located between the IJ and the Nieuwe Vaart in the borough of Amsterdam-Oost. The harbor area was constructed in the late nineteenth century to allow for increasing trade with the Dutch East Indies; a new location was necessitated by the construction of the Amsterdam Centraal railway station, which replaced the old quays. East of the new station was a marshy area called De Rietlanden, with the Zeeburgerdijk (then called Sint Antoniesdijk), running via the Zeeburch, a fort, to the Zuiderzee.

Contents

The neighborhood consists of the districts: KNSM Island, Java-eiland, Oostelijke Handelskade, Cruquiuseiland, Borneo-eiland and Sporenburg. [1]

The area, about 2/3 water and 1/3 land, consists of an extension of the Oostelijke Handelskade, east of the center of town, and four artificial "islands" (peninsulas), all of which were former industrial and harbor locations of the port of Amsterdam. In the early 2000s, after a large-scale reorganization, the city's biggest post-World War II building project, the Eastern Docklands was de-industrialized and became home to some 17,000 people living in some the highest population densities in the Netherlands. [2]

History

Construction

Map of the area. Kaart Oostelijk Havengebied.svg
Map of the area.

In the mid-nineteenth century the Dutch government determined that the city's open harbor front was to be filled in to allow for the construction of the Amsterdam Centraal railway station (the city decided on its location in 1869, and it was built 1882-1889), despite objections by the city; the building of the railway station followed necessarily on the Dutch government's decision in 1860 to build a national railroad system. [3] Also, because ship sizes had increased but the Amsterdam's docks had not, competition from other cities began to hurt the city economically; in 1860 Den Helder had overtaken Amsterdam in port activity. [3] To compensate for the loss of that harbor area and to create quays that would allow bigger ships to dock, [4] Amsterdam's city engineer, Jacobus van Niftrik, planned a new quay to the east of the station, the Oostelijke Handelskade. This quay was the start of the Eastern Docklands, which was developed contiguous to the already existing port area, the Spoorwegbassin , which would be used for the transloading of coal and iron ore; railroad tracks already crisscrossed the area. Other decisions played a part in the construction of the area, such as the digging of the North Sea Canal, decided on in 1862. [3]

The development of the Oostelijke Handelskade (1876) [5] gave Amsterdam a deep-water harbor for the first time in its history, and warehouses such as Europa, Azië, and Africa jumpstarted economic activity in 1883. The quay was designed according to modern requirements, with a railroad track and steam-powered cranes for loading and unloading.

Modern architecture in the Eastern Docklands. View south towards Sporenburg from Levantkade on Java-eiland. On the left is the apartment building The Whale. Sporenburg the whale.jpg
Modern architecture in the Eastern Docklands. View south towards Sporenburg from Levantkade on Java-eiland. On the left is the apartment building The Whale.

One problem was the Zuiderzee, which caused high waves and disturbed harbor activity. The city decided to build a breakwater, but this was unsuccessful, and in 1890 a dam was planned, the start of the future Java Island and KNSM Island. In 1896 the IJkade was constructed contiguous to the dam, and the closed-in area raised with earth won from dredging the North Sea Canal, the digging of which had started in 1876. [5] When the western part of the IJkade was lengthened in 1904, a new peninsula was created, as well as two harbors: the water between the Java Island and the Oostelijke Handelskade is called the IJhaven, the water south of the KNSM Island is called the Ertshaven, both also being connected by rail.

The deep-water harbors allowed for much economic development. In 1903, the Koninklijke Nederlandse Stoomboot-Maatschappij (KNSM) settled on the eastern part of the island and experienced rapid growth. On the western part, one of the occupants was the Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland (SMN), which had reached the limit of its possible expansion on the Oostelijke Handelskade. In the first half of the 20th century there was ongoing development, including for instance the increasing transport of passengers by ship to the Dutch East Indies, but after World War II harbor activity moved more to the city's Western Docklands [6] and in the 1960s, despite the coming of some new industries such as Mobil, [7] the area became less busy, due to the increase in containerisation and the ever-growing size of cargo ships. [4] In the 1970s, the area fell into complete disuse. [8]

Panorama

Panorama over the IJ from Java Island. Java eiland panorama.jpg
Panorama over the IJ from Java Island.

Recent development

In the 1980s, The city decided to change the by now derelict area into space for residences, and even proposed to fill in the harbors. In the end, the harbors and islands remained intact, to create relatively quiet enclaves of residential neighborhoods. [4]

Many of the homes in the Eastern Docklands attract young families, which has led to more families with young children staying in the city (rather than move to places like Almere, which offer more affordable family homes with gardens). [9] [10] The area is also attractive to "trendy" and well-to-do urbanites; [11] [12] the notably modern features of the new buildings in the "architecturally spectacular" area [13] [14] [15] draw in "trendy young media and IT professionals" and are a boon for tourism to the area. [16]

Since 2005, the fast IJtram has connected the area to the Central Station where one can transfer to other tram lines. The Piet Hein Tunnel offers a fast route for motor vehicles to the A10 ringroad.

Oostelijke Handelskade

The Lloyd Hotel in 2006. Lloyd.jpg
The Lloyd Hotel in 2006.

A central element in the development of the Docklands is the Oostelijke Handelskade, the Eastern Quay. Located on the IJ harbor, it ran along the docks to the east of the center of Amsterdam and got its name in 1883. Previously known as Handelskade, it was built between 1875 and 1883. In 1919 part of the quay was renamed Piet Hein Kade. In 2001, it became connected to Java Island by Jan Schaefer Bridge.

One of its characteristic buildings is the Lloyd Hotel, which was constructed in 1921 by Evert Breman as temporary housing for emigrants to Latin America, many of whom from Eastern Europe. During World War II it was used as a prison by the German occupiers, and after the war it retained that function. It became a prison for underage convicts in 1964. After 1989 it stood empty for a time, and in 1996 the city of Amsterdam opened a competition to turn the building into a hotel. That conversion, designed by Otto Nan, was finished in 2004 (with 120 rooms). [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IJmuiden</span> City in North Holland, Netherlands

IJmuiden is a port city in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is the main town in the municipality of Velsen which lies mainly to the south-east. Including its large sea locks, it straddles the mouth of the North Sea Canal to Amsterdam. To the south it abuts a large reserve of plant-covered dunes, the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park. The city is on the south bank; the north bank is otherwise a steel plant and Velsen-Noord.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amsterdam Impressionism</span> Art movement

Amsterdam Impressionism was an art movement in late 19th-century Holland. It is associated especially with George Hendrik Breitner and is also known as the School of Allebé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IJburg</span> Neighbourhood in Amsterdam, Netherlands

IJburg is a residential neighbourhood under construction in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is situated in the IJmeer and is being built on artificial islands which have been raised from the lake. The Haveneiland, Rieteilanden, Steigereiland and Centrumeiland are already inhabited as of 2004. It is part of the municipality Amsterdam-Oost and also contains the Diemerpark, one of the city's largest parks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canals of Amsterdam</span> Grachten dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age; UNESCO World Heritage Site

Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, has more than 100 kilometers (62 mi) of grachten (canals), about 90 islands and 1,500 bridges. The three main canals, dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age, form concentric belts around the city, known as the Grachtengordel. Alongside the main canals are 1550 monumental buildings. The 17th-century canal ring area, including the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Jordaan, were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, contributing to Amsterdam's fame as the "Venice of the North".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westerpark (park)</span> Park in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

The Westerpark is a public urban park in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The former borough (stadsdeel) of Westerpark is named after the park, as is the current neighborhood.

The port of Amsterdam is a seaport in Amsterdam in North Holland, Netherlands. It is the 4th busiest port in Europe by metric tonnes of cargo. The port is located on the bank of a former bay named the IJ and the North Sea Canal, with which it is connected to the North Sea. The port was first used in the 13th century and was one of the main ports of the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century. Today, the port of Amsterdam is the second largest port in the Netherlands, the largest being the Port of Rotterdam. In 2014, the port of Amsterdam had a cargo throughput of 97.4 million tons, most of which was bulk cargo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frits van Dongen</span>

Frits van Dongen is an architect from the Netherlands. He designed a canal-side municipal theatre for the city of Leeuwarden with his firm De Architecten Cie. The building he designed that is known as The Whale is in an area known as the Oostelijke Handelskade that includes "some of The Netherlands' most cutting-edge housing developments including Piraeus, designed by Hans Kollhoff and Christian Rappit, "Hoop, Liefde en Fortuin" by Rudy Uytenhaak" and one of Jamie Oliver's "Fifteen" restaurants. R otterdam Maaskant Prize for Young Architects 2005 winner Oliver Thill and his architecture partner André Kempe, both from East Germany, both worked in van Dongen's office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNSM Island</span> Neighborhood of Amsterdam in Netherlands

The KNSM Island is a man-made island in the Eastern Docklands of Amsterdam. KNSM stands for the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot-Maatschappij, the Royal Dutch Steamboat Shipping company which used to have its headquarters and its docks on the island. It is now a large residential area containing modern architecture with a mostly well-off population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mien Ruys</span> Dutch landscape and garden architect

Wilhelmina Jacoba Moussault-Ruys, was a Dutch landscape and garden architect. Her gardening legacy is maintained in the Dutch town of Dedemsvaart, which is home to the Tuinen Mien Ruys. With people such as Piet Oudolf, she is considered a leader in the "New Perennial Movement."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amsterdam-Oost</span> Borough of Amsterdam in North Holland, Netherlands

Amsterdam-Oost is a borough of Amsterdam, Netherlands, established in May 2010 after a merger of the former boroughs of Zeeburg and Oost-Watergraafsmeer. In 2013, the borough had almost 123,000 inhabitants.

Java-eiland is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is located on a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water and on the east by the KNSM Island neighbourhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oostelijke Eilanden</span> Neighbourhood of Amsterdam in North Holland, Netherlands

Oostelijke Eilanden, also known as Oostelijke Eilanden en Kadijken, is a neighbourhood in the centre of Amsterdam, Netherlands, consisting of Kattenburg, Wittenburg and Oostenburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westelijke Eilanden (Amsterdam)</span> Neighborhood of Amsterdam in North Holland, Netherlands

Westelijke Eilanden are three islands in the Centrum district of Amsterdam: Bickerseiland, Prinseneiland and Realeneiland. They are located to the south of the IJ and the Zeeheldenbuurt, to the north of the railway line between Central Station and Amsterdam-Sloterdijk, to the west of the Westerdok and to the east of the Planciusbuurt on the Westerkanaal. The Westelijke Eilanden form the core of the Golden Reael area, which also includes the adjacent Westerdok island, the Haarlemmerbuurt and the Planciusbuurt.

The Kadijken, also known as Kadijkseiland[kɑˈdɛiks.ɛiˌlɑnt] or Kadijkenbuurt[kɑˈdɛikə(m)ˌbyːrt], is a neighbourhood to the north of Artis zoo in the centre of Amsterdam. The name "Kadijken" is the plural form of Kadijk and refers to the two main streets that traverse the neighbourhood, Hoogte Kadijk and Laagte Kadijk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dijksgracht</span> Canal in Amsterdam

The Dijksgracht is a canal in the center of Amsterdam, north of the three Oostelijke Eilanden. It is also the name of the adjacent street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieuwe Vaart</span> Canal in Amsterdam

The Nieuwe Vaart or Nieuwevaart is a 17th-century canal in Amsterdam that runs from the center to Amsterdam-Oost.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prins Hendrikkade</span> Street in Amsterdam

Prins Hendrikkade is a major street in the centre of Amsterdam. It passes Amsterdam Central Station, intersects the Damrak at the mouth of the Amstel river, and forms the southern end of the IJtunnel across the IJ bay. The street formed the northern edge and outer harbour of the city until the 19th century. It was named after Prince Henry of the Netherlands, youngest son of King William II, following Henry's death in 1879.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IJtram</span> Amsterdam tram line 26

Amsterdam tram line 26, popularly known as the IJtram, is a tram line operating between Amsterdam Centraal station and the IJburg district in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. As of 2019, the IJtram was the busiest tram line in Amsterdam, carrying 30,000 riders per day. The 8.5-kilometre (5.3 mi) line has 11 stops and a scheduled end-to-end travel time of 22 minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oosterdok</span> Historic site in Amsterdam

The Oosterdok is a former wet dock in Amsterdam. It was created in 1831-1832 by constructing the Oosterdoksdam and the Oosterdoksluis, forming a reliable deep port closed off from the tidal IJ.

References

Literature

Notes

  1. ↑ "Oostelijk Havengebied" Borough of Amsterdam East Archived 2012-10-09 at the Wayback Machine (in Dutch)
  2. ↑ Szita, Jane (April 2002). "Street of Dreams". Dwell : 62–69. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 Bosma, Koos (2000). Werken aan een open Amsterdam. Verloren. pp. 129–30. ISBN   978-90-6550-180-6.
  4. 1 2 3 Groenendijk, Paul; Piet Vollaard (2006). Architectuurgids Nederland: 1900-2000. 010 Publishers. pp. 308–309. ISBN   978-90-6450-573-7 . Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  5. 1 2 Lebesque, Sabine (2006). Along Amsterdam's waterfront: exploring the architecture of Amsterdam's Southern IJ Bank. Valiz. p. 16. ISBN   978-90-78088-11-0.
  6. ↑ Bosma, Koos (2000). Werken aan een open Amsterdam. Verloren. p. 141. ISBN   978-90-6550-180-6.
  7. ↑ Reichwein, Onno (1998). J.M. den Uyl: gereformeerd af, socialist geworden, calvinist gebleven: de vormende jaren tijdens crisis- en oorlogstijd en de invloed daarvan op het naoorlogse politieke denken en handelen. Verloren. p. 97. ISBN   978-90-72131-39-3.
  8. ↑ Abrahamse, Jaap Evert (2003). Eastern Harbour District Amsterdam: urbanism and architecture. NAi. ISBN   978-90-5662-307-4.
  9. ↑ "Gezin rukt op binnen ring A-10, in de stad". Het Parool . 18 May 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  10. ↑ "Steeds meer jonge gezinnen in de stad". AT5 . 18 May 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  11. ↑ "KNSM-eiland". Oostelijk Havengebied Amsterdam. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  12. ↑ "Amsterdamse stadsdelen rollen rode loper uit voor toeristen". TourPRessHolland. Archived from the original on 22 February 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  13. ↑ Haastrecht, Ruud van (4 October 1997). "Lonely Planet Amsterdam: suffe reisgids voor oudere jongeren". Trouw . Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  14. ↑ Mawer, Fred (17 September 2005). "Dockland chic in the city of canals". The Telegraph . Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  15. ↑ Roos, Robbert (30 April 1998). "Java-eiland en Borneo/Sporenburg: speeltuin voor architecten in het Oostelijk Havengebied". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  16. ↑ Trew, Jonathan (22 May 2004). "New Amsterdam". The Scotsman . Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  17. ↑ Kreulen, Edwin (19 August 2004). "Slapen in industrieel erfgoed". Trouw . Retrieved 17 May 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.