Tactical Urbanism in ArenAPoort

ArenAPoort is the central area of the Amsterdam-Zuidoost district. It includes an office and entertainment area, as well as public transport hub Bijlmer ArenA and the adjacent Amsterdamse Poort shopping centre. The City of Amsterdam approached PUC to set up a tactical programme to connect these areas on both sides of the railway.

Stay Sane, Stay Safe video projection show on the façade of the Ziggo Dome to give heart to the public during the coronavirus outbreak

ArenAPoort, an Area With Two Faces

The centre of Amsterdam-Zuidoost is characterised by dichotomy. On the west side of the railway is a large-scale entertainment and office area including the Johan Cruijff ArenA, concert halls Ziggo Dome and AFAS Live, and headquarters of Deutsche Bank, among others. On the east side of the railway is the Amsterdamse Poort shopping centre, which has a local function and is mainly frequented by residents of Southeast. Two worlds come together in ArenAPoort. Rich and poor, formal and informal, local and international. The public space is formal, oversized and mainly designed for large flows of visitors at peak times.

Flying Grass Carpet, a giant flying carpet of artificial grass that transformed Hoekenrodeplein from a dull square into a lively community space for a month, with more than 30 programmes around sports, music, food and culture in cooperation with numerous local organisations and makers

Connecting Both Worlds

The aim of our project was to use a temporary programme to connect the two worlds, add human scale and create inviting places and spaces to stay. In partnership with We The City and Vinger.nl, we set up numerous creative interventions in collaboration with various organisations in and outside the area, such as Ziggo Dome, AFC Ajax, CBRE, Flying Grass Carpet and local makers and residents.