De Nieuwe Kern will mainly contain apartments and a limited number of single-family homes, reports the municipality of Ouder-Amstel. Forty percent of the homes fall into the mid-range rental and purchase segment, thirty percent will be social rental and another thirty percent is intended for purchase in the private segment.
The urban development framework for De Nieuwe Kern was developed by West 8. Even though the area is being built up, it retains a green character with plenty of water. In addition to the city park and some ‘green lungs’ such as De Toekomst sports park and the allotment garden zone, there will be green ‘pockets’, especially in the station areas. In addition, all buildings border on greenery.
To forge De Nieuwe Kern into a unity, a ‘land bridge’ will be built over the Holterbergweg that bisects the area. The centrally located city park continues on this land bridge, which is also referred to as the Wespentaille. The connection was conceived as a wide park zone with through routes, flanked by trees. The land bridge is enhanced with a ‘Spanish staircase’, a park pavilion with terrace and an iconic tower called Amstelzicht.
Low-traffic
Partly thanks to its location near major public transport junctions such as the Duivendrecht and Bijlmer ArenA stations, De Nieuwe Kern has a car-free character. Thanks to a fine-meshed urban fabric and routes for cyclists and pedestrians, the area also becomes more ‘fordable’. In addition, the plan provides space for exercise and sports. With three fast cycle routes, De Nieuwe Kern will also become a connecting link in the large regional cycling network, reports West 8.
An important principle for De Nieuwe Kern is the realization of a ‘neighborhood for everyone’. A differentiated residential environment is provided with an urban mix of living, working, facilities and a number of cultural destinations. Building densities also vary. For example, construction will be closer to the stations, housing will be built in lower densities in the areas towards Ouderkerk aan de Amstel and ‘typical Amsterdam’ urban buildings with four to five floors will be created in other places.
Different ‘quarters’
The Nieuwe Kern is divided into different ‘quarters’, each with its own character. For example, two ‘station quarters’ have been provided around the track, where the focus is mainly on a mix of functions such as working, catering and culture. In addition, four ‘park quarters’ with residential areas will be built north and south of the city park, a ‘garden quarter’ with homes will be built in the direction of the allotments and the ‘Toekomstkwartier’ with a dike park as a buffer will be built next to the De Toekomst sports park.
The program for functions outside the 6,200 homes (such as offices, hotels and companies) covers 250,000 square meters, reports the municipality of Ouder-Amstel. The planned expansion of De Toekomst sports park is also included in this program. If everything goes according to plan, the first pile for the Nieuwe Kern can be driven in 2026. In that case, the first homes will be delivered in 2027 or 2028, according to the municipality of Ouder-Amstel.
