1) The Randstad is a polycentric urban area in the Netherlands consisting of 4 large cities close to each other with a green heart. It is the political, administrative, social and cultural heart of the Netherlands and is one of the most densely populated areas in the OECD. 2) Long term challenges for the Randstad include managing economic growth, climate change, energy supply, water safety, and diminishing traffic congestion while improving housing. 3) The Structural Vision Randstad 2040 was created through a collaborative process to develop an integrated long term vision that focuses on vibrant cities, a service driven economy, and quality of life while allocating space for housing, infrastructure, agriculture, water storage

1. RANDSTAD 2040
Bart Vink – sr. programm manager / dep.director National Spatial Planning
Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, The Hague, Netherlands
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2. • THE RANDSTAD
• LONG TERM TRENDS AND CHALLENGES
• THE MAKING OF..STRUCTURAL VISION RANDSTAD 2040
• IMPLEMENTATION
• ACTUAL CONTEXT
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3. RANDSTAD in the WORLD
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4. Randstad: historical development
1900  1960  2010
Spatial planning in NL:
• Prevented urban sprawl:
kept open spaces open, safeguarding cultural+natural heritages
• Planned ‘new towns’ to control urban growth
• Supported the compactness of the cities
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5. NETHERLANDS vs. VLAANDEREN
(FLANDERS)

6. …THE DUTCH CREATED THE NETHERLANDS….
1776

7. IMPORTANCE OF THE RANDSTAD…
• a polycentric urban area
• 4 ‘large’ cities close to each other
• a ´green´ heart
• political, administrative, social and cultural heart of NL
• most important economic motor of NL (GRP: € 271,2 billion
(2007), 51% of the national GDP)
• over 7 million inhabitants; 41,5% of the Dutch population on less
than 20% of the Dutch territory
• one of the most densely populated areas in the OECD
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8. Randstad - a polycentric urban area
MONOCENTRIC
POLYCENTRIC
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9. Not one functional metropolitan area
Commuter patterns: 4 daily urban systems
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10. International importance
Strengths:
•Ports, airport, international accessibility
•Main offices multinationals, financial sector
•Creative sector, media, ict, urban tourism
•NGO’s and international institutions
•Scientific institutes
•Greenports
•BRP
 Although Amsterdam is relatively small: it
ranks high in international surveys,
compairible to Milan, Madrid, just after
London and Paris
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11. Diversified service economy
• Financial & business services
• Logistics & trade
• Creative industries, ICT, Tourism
• Life science
• Horticulture
Amsterdam as its primary city....
• Amsterdam: internationally oriented business centre,
creative activities , sciences, tourism, ict, media, port, airport
• Rotterdam: worldwide logistic junction of Europe
• The Hague: seat of organisations for peace and justice
• Utrecht: concentration of national business, creative services, sciences
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12. NL IN 2040 ?
Long term
challenges

13. Challenges for the future.....
• OECD: Diminishing traffic congestion, Improving housing market, governance
• Longer term:
Economic growth, climate change, energy supply, water safety
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14. SPACE FOR LIVING AND WORKING

15. SPACE FOR SCHIPHOL AIRPORT
Tweede Terminal
Parallelle Kaagbaan

16. SPACE FOR WORKING
Act / A4 werkstad Port of Amsterdam
Zuidas Flower Mainport Aalsmeer

17. SPACE FOR AGRICULTURE
Agricultural land use Greenport Aalsmeer
Dairy farming Bulbs

18. SPACE FOR DWELLINGS
70.000 60.000
Challenge for housing Restrictions for housing…..

19. SPACE FOR ACCESSIBILITY
Expected congestion 2040
roads Public transport WATER

20. SPACE FOR WATER STORAGE / CLIMATE CHANGE
Possible space for water storage

21. CULTURAL HERITAGE AND LANDSCAPE
Cultural heritage Diversity landscape

22. ENERGY
2030
Wind turbines Afrikahaven High-voltage pylons (380 kV)

23. ALL TOGETHER….INTEGRATED PLANNING?
VISION?

24. RANDSTAD 2040 PROCESS
…..AND TEAMWORK…..
1. 2. 3.
Alliances
Research
4.
Dialogue
Design
Integrated long term vision Randstad 2040
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25. CONCEPTS AS INSPIRATION

26. RESULTS OF THE DIALOGUE…
NRC.Next – February, 8th, 2008
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27. DESIGN AS A RESOURCE IN THE PROCESS
….STRONG, VIBRANT CITIES, SMART PEOPLE:
FOCUS ON ADDED VALUE, SERVICE DRIVEN
ECONOMY, QUALITY OF LIFE….
less focus on transport-oriented economy
ALSO MEANING: SPACE FOR ‘GREEN AND BLUE’

28. STRUCTURAL VISION
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29. IMPLEMENTATION: SPATIAL AGENDA…..

30. IMPLEMENTATION:…KEY-PROJECTS
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31. EUROPEAN ‘TOP’ LOCATION: AMSTERDAM ZUIDAS

32. ACTUAL POLITICAL CONTEXT
• Constraints of the state budget / necessary cuts
• Economic challenges
• Focus on less state involvement and more ‘realisation power’
 ‘Economy first’
 Decentralisation of responsibilities
 Actualisation of state policy: more focus, less involvement
 Less regulations: ‘faster and better’ realisation
....for a competitive and sustainable future...
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