Nature-inclusive Amstelstroom bridge

VenhoevenCS and Smartland designed the new bridge over the Duivendrechtsevaart - the Amstelstroom bridge. This bridge forms the entrance to the new district Amstelkwartier and is located at a prominent point in Amsterdam. Within the ring road, in an urban area, but at the same time at the very tip of the Amstelscheg, so also in the countryside.

At this transition between city and landscape, we therefore designed the bridge as an inner-city but explicitly nature-inclusive bridge: a flowery median strip, nesting boxes for the house and barn swallow in the bridge beams, maternity chambers for bats in the middle pillars and nests for the kingfisher and bank swallow in the side pillars. The bridge also provides facilities for rarer plants and animals in the city, with hiding, nesting and sleeping places for bats, birds, fish, butterflies, bees and bumblebees.

The Amstelstroom bridge connects the new neighbourhood with both city and nature and contributes to Amsterdam's ecological network.

Location: Amsterdam, NL

Type: Green architecture and public space

Surface: 0,7 ha

Status: Realised 2022

Client: Amsterdam municipality

Team: Mobilis, TBI, VenhoevenCS Architecture & Urbanism, Smartland