Recently the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) enquired if I would be available to contribute another design case to the Built Environment students in fall 2025. After having guided students wo look at Transit Oriented Development and how to make a river the centre of a city again in the recent semesters, I am puzzled to commission an nwe task with the curriculum of Designing Future Cities.

In the past semesters for both the students and Zaanstad Municipality it had proven inspirational and challenging to address some key elements of the Urban Development Plan of this fastly growing city. And I was impressed by the solutions and work ethics of the young students!

Let’s find out in the coming months which challenge can be addressed this fall!

How to design future proof cities? This was the topic of this year’s design studio series at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. I was honoured to contribute to the students’s education as a commissioner, critic and lecturer and bring in the River Zaan as a design task.

Three teams of students from the Netherlands and abroad made an impressive effort to design future proof scenario’s for the river as a lifeline for Zaanstad. And the best thing: all teams made beautiful models, either laser cut or 3D printed – next to the nowadays obligatory renderings generated by artifical intelligence software. I see a wonderful comeback of the maquette as an essential tool for urban and architectural design!

Thanks to all the students in the Zaanstad teams, and a big shout out to the other students working in the design studios on Amsterdam, Almere and micro housing. Compliments to Mariska van Walsum (also for the images) and Erik Anton de Graaf for guiding the course and inviting me to work with the students!

Earlier this month former State Architect Floris Alkemade and me spoke on the urgent matter of how to make space for work in urban development. Floris spoke about he historical background of how cities function, and the past separation of work, housing and infrastucture in cities, which has proven to be wrong. He elaborated on current plans bij himself in e.g. Almere of Paris, on how to bring the different uses together again in cities.

I was honoured to reflect upon, and frankly to affirm, the well researched theses of the former State Architect. Also, i was happy to realize that our Urban Development Plan for Zaanstad is a vision that leads us into the right direction!

At the end of the afternoon the organizers of De Maatschappij rightfully stated that the audience of primarily entrepreneurs from the Zaanstad region had a truly inspiring event, with both larger context and concrete spatial strategies for their own city.

The local newspaper ‘Orkaan’ wrote a comprehensive article about the afternoon here. Copyright of the photographs by Marijn Kerkhoven.

This Spring the commissioner for the Big Spotter’s Hill viewing platform, #RecreatieschapSpaarnwoude, called again after some years. They are thinking of carrying out the second phase of the design of the ‘#MainPort‘ beacon and viewing platform we had designed earlier. The basic structure of the first phase had been realized some years ago.

This second phase entails another, elevated viewing platform high up in the sky, on top of the #MainPort construction in #Vijfhuizen: Imagine #Mysteryland music festival guests dancing into the sunset with a fantastic view until the North Sea coast. Via ondulating stairs visitors can reach the top level platform, which features glass fencing and a glass centre piece for an extra thrill. To be continued!

Together with viusal artist Marius van Zandwijk we developed a spatial intervention for the Dutch outdoors in the East of the Netherlands. This folly made of industrial fencing in custom greens discusses our relation with landscape and nature in general.

Entitled ‘claim’ the installation explores the roles of nature and men in the Anthropocene. Do we understand nature? Can we capture nature? Who is included and excluded when it comes to this ambigous relation?

The design of this folly is entirely made of second hand industrial fences and can be reused after the installation. We developed the design for a small art festival in Norg (Drenthe) in summer 2025.

I was honoured to take over the guidance of some teenage students of Sint Michaelcollege Technasium in Gemeente Zaanstad from my former colleague Tijs Rothweiler. But I would have never expected the incredible quality of the work of these young talents!

Having designed inspiring spatial solutions for four locations along an intensly used inner urban highway (N203), Noesa Ris and Lorelai Richardson clearly demonstrated that heree we have two talented young women full of enthousiasm and courage when it comes to design urban solution for the future.

What a pleasure to guide these young talents! One wants to become an industrial designer, and one an architect. Employers: Keep a close watch on them!

This week the students of the P1b studio at the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam led by Mathias as their tutor presented their final designs. The students of urbanism and landscape architecture developed proposals for the train stops in Zaanstad Municipality. A rich harvest of new ideas for these future nodes for transit oriented development. Images of the work for Krommenie-Assendelft by Arjen Brinks (feature) and above by Matthijs Breunissen for Koog aan de Zaan.

In September 2024 Mathias organized an afternoon on designing and building with wood in the creative makers’ space De Hoop in Zaandam.

Pioneer Jaco Woltjer of Woltjer Berkhout architects and Eric Thijssen of Mark Koehler Architects introduced the basic facts about wood, but also discussed construction, process and scaling up this sustainable building material in the current practice of architects, housing corporations and developers.

This event was part of the Program for the Knowledge of Space Mathias has been organizing with colleagues at Zaanstad Municipality since 2022, and co organized with urbanist Marc den Hertog who also made the picture in this post.

On behalf of the team of authors Mathias delivered a lecture of the almost finished Urban Development Vision 2040 and Beyond ‘Making Space’ of Zaanstad Municipality at the University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam on 9/11.

In the consecutive weeks groups of students will develop spatial and urban planning schemes for one of the key projects listed in the vision. Mathias will join the students again for mid-term and final reviews. At the University the project is conducted by Mariska van Walsum and tutored by Erik de Graaf.

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Zaanstad Municipality, a merger of seven smaller municipalities. Babel Zaans Architecture Platform celebrates this birthday and reflects upon the city of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

I am grateful to support Babel in challenging students and (young) professionals to envision Zaanstad over 50 years in a one-day workshop, and to better understand today’s urgencies, and challenges in relation to urban development.

Join this workshop on Saturday September 14, from 11-17hrs!

We will meet on the creative HEM brug area, famous from the past Big Art fairs and where ZAMU, one of the largest Dutch museums will be opened soon. Babel has invited top notch inspiration speakers to inspire this unique workshop: Wouter Pocornie of Bijlmer Believers 3.0, Kristian Koreman – ZUS [Zones Urbaines Sensibles] and Ton Venhoeven – VenhoevenCS

Practicalities:
Location: Affuitenhal 1, 2^nd floor at the Hembrugterrein (Building Magazijn 14) in Zaandam. Participation is free. Limited spots are available, so please register via: https://www.stichting-babel.nl/agenda/workshop-ontwerp-de-toekomst-van-zaanstad-in-een-dag

The results will be presented during the Babel Festival on October 5^th, 2024.

Image: Urhahn | stedenbouw en strategie