The Amsterdam Metropolitan Region has a housing target of 200,000 homes by 2040. A significant portion of these will be built in municipalities surrounding Amsterdam, such as Purmerend. In the eastern flank of the municipality of Purmerend, there is space for approximately 5,000 to 6,000 homes. The proposal, Heart of the Purmer, outlines how these homes can be developed while preserving the cultural and historical character of the polder, enhancing the ecology, and using plant-based building materials.
2023
sketch design
Gemeente Purmerend
team
in cooperation with
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The Creation of the Purmerpolder
Fishing Villages
Purmerend emerged in the 13th century as a small village of fishermen and farmers. The village was situated at a strategic crossroads between water and land, allowing residents to benefit from both fishing in the lake and peat extraction and crop cultivation. Due to the extraction and drainage of the peat, the land gradually subsided, which led to the enlargement of the surrounding lakes.
Land Reclamation
These lakes were crucial for water transportation. Eventually, the cities of Edam and Monnickendam initiated the land reclamation of the area. Amsterdam and Purmerend provided financial support for this project. This resulted in the division of the polder into four sections.
To drain the polder, five series of mills, each with three mills, were employed. Near Ilpendam, an excellent tongue of peat, known as the Nes, was reclaimed. A network of tow canals, known as the Zesstedenvaart, was established around the Purmer.
Grassland
Immediately after the reclamation, the soil turned out to consist of fertile, heavy sea clay. Initially, this soil was mainly used for arable farming. However, it soon became apparent that the cultivation of agricultural products was not feasible due to the high groundwater level. Consequently, most of the land was converted into grassland, which was better suited for livestock farming.
Purmerend emerged in the 13th century as a small village of fishermen and farmers. The village was situated at a strategic crossroads between water and land, allowing residents to benefit from both fishing in the lake and peat extraction and crop cultivation. Due to the extraction and drainage of the peat, the land gradually subsided, which led to the enlargement of the surrounding lakes.
Land Reclamation
These lakes were crucial for water transportation. Eventually, the cities of Edam and Monnickendam initiated the land reclamation of the area. Amsterdam and Purmerend provided financial support for this project. This resulted in the division of the polder into four sections.
To drain the polder, five series of mills, each with three mills, were employed. Near Ilpendam, an excellent tongue of peat, known as the Nes, was reclaimed. A network of tow canals, known as the Zesstedenvaart, was established around the Purmer.
Grassland
Immediately after the reclamation, the soil turned out to consist of fertile, heavy sea clay. Initially, this soil was mainly used for arable farming. However, it soon became apparent that the cultivation of agricultural products was not feasible due to the high groundwater level. Consequently, most of the land was converted into grassland, which was better suited for livestock farming.
The Eastern Flank is an open area with significant green value and serves as an important recreational area for the current residents of Purmerend.
Eastern Flank
The eastern flank of Purmerend is an area of approximately 870 hectares that borders the municipalities of Waterland and Edam-Volendam. Within this area are the business parks Baanstee-Noord and West, Golf Course BurgGolf Purmerend, the Purmerbos forest, and several farms. The area is open, has significant green value, and serves as an important recreational area for the current residents of Purmerend.
Ambitions
The goal is to create a compact living environment with residential buildings arranged in compact clusters, based on the spatial character of the area. Multifunctional green spaces are crucial, featuring a robust and tranquil forest in the south and a recreational forest in the north. To enhance natural value, the focus will be on diverse habitats, including marsh and clay forests, and wet ecological connection zones (ECZs) that form an ecological network. Landscape variation will be achieved through the use of corridors and gradients, similar to those already present on the golf course.
Safety is a priority, with clear evacuation routes ensuring multi-layered security. Daily interactions with green spaces will be promoted through continuous green areas rather than fragmented neighborhood parks, creating an uninterrupted landscape for the entire region. There is a goal to offer a wide variety of housing types to foster an inclusive living environment, alongside sustainable forestry and wood construction using locally sourced timber.
A clear mobility structure is essential, with well-defined traffic flows and the segmentation of major roadways. Efforts will be made to ensure good connections to public transport and fast cycle paths, as well as excellent pedestrian and cyclist access to green spaces from the existing eastern neighborhoods.
Safety is a priority, with clear evacuation routes ensuring multi-layered security. Daily interactions with green spaces will be promoted through continuous green areas rather than fragmented neighborhood parks, creating an uninterrupted landscape for the entire region. There is a goal to offer a wide variety of housing types to foster an inclusive living environment, alongside sustainable forestry and wood construction using locally sourced timber.
A clear mobility structure is essential, with well-defined traffic flows and the segmentation of major roadways. Efforts will be made to ensure good connections to public transport and fast cycle paths, as well as excellent pedestrian and cyclist access to green spaces from the existing eastern neighborhoods.
The ambition is to create a compact residential environment with buildings arranged in small clusters, based on the spatial character of the polder.
Instead of extending the new neighborhood into the existing built-up areas, the homes will be concentrated along a new road parallel to the Middentocht.
The Superlint
Stolplinten
A defining feature of the North Holland landscape is the stolplinten, a type of landscape subdivision characterized by linear development along roads or waterways. This form of development respects the spatial character of the area, offers green vistas towards the polder, and integrates water management into the design.
Superlint
This type of linear development serves as the urban planning principle for a new residential neighborhood. Instead of extending the new neighborhood into the existing built-up areas, the homes will be concentrated along a new road running parallel to the Middentocht. On both sides of this road, neighborhoods with various types of housing will be developed, ranging from detached houses to apartment blocks. These neighborhoods will be situated between the ditches in the current polder, enhancing the landscape's character. The area between the Superlint and the existing development will feature a robust green zone, with more activity in the north and increasingly less accessible nature towards the south. Two roads will cross this green space, linking the Superlint with the rest of Purmerend. At the intersection of the Superlint and these roads, there will be a higher concentration of housing and amenities.
A defining feature of the North Holland landscape is the stolplinten, a type of landscape subdivision characterized by linear development along roads or waterways. This form of development respects the spatial character of the area, offers green vistas towards the polder, and integrates water management into the design.
Superlint
This type of linear development serves as the urban planning principle for a new residential neighborhood. Instead of extending the new neighborhood into the existing built-up areas, the homes will be concentrated along a new road running parallel to the Middentocht. On both sides of this road, neighborhoods with various types of housing will be developed, ranging from detached houses to apartment blocks. These neighborhoods will be situated between the ditches in the current polder, enhancing the landscape's character. The area between the Superlint and the existing development will feature a robust green zone, with more activity in the north and increasingly less accessible nature towards the south. Two roads will cross this green space, linking the Superlint with the rest of Purmerend. At the intersection of the Superlint and these roads, there will be a higher concentration of housing and amenities.
Neighborhoods
The neighborhoods will be accessible via a single entrance road from the Superlint. Parking will be located within or beneath the neighborhoods, ensuring that the outer edges have maximum connectivity with the surrounding green spaces. To the west, the neighborhoods will border a forested landscape, while to the east, they will adjoin the natural banks of the ecological connection zone.
The neighborhoods will be accessible via a single entrance road from the Superlint. Parking will be located within or beneath the neighborhoods, ensuring that the outer edges have maximum connectivity with the surrounding green spaces. To the west, the neighborhoods will border a forested landscape, while to the east, they will adjoin the natural banks of the ecological connection zone.
Parking will be located within or beneath the neighborhoods, allowing the homes on the outer edges to maintain maximum connectivity with the surrounding green spaces.
Of the 5,000 to 6,000 homes planned for the eastern flank, approximately 1,000 to 1,500 will be located in Purmer Zuid-Zuid.
Purmer Zuid-Zuid
Purmer Zuid-Zuid is part of the Eastern Flank. Of the 5,000 to 6,000 homes planned for the eastern flank, approximately 1,000 to 1,500 will be situated in Purmer Zuid-Zuid. Of these, 30% will be allocated to social rental housing, 40% to middle rental and/or affordable ownership, and 30% to the private sector. The proportion of single-family homes will range between 40 and 60 percent and can include both ground-level houses and apartments.
A portion of the polder has been planted as production forest, which has developed into a unique clay forest with significant recreational and ecological value. In particular, the area to the south of Purmer Zuid-Zuid holds substantial ecological importance.
A portion of the polder has been planted as production forest, which has developed into a unique clay forest with significant recreational and ecological value. In particular, the area to the south of Purmer Zuid-Zuid holds substantial ecological importance.
The Seven Guardians
On the relatively narrow strip between Verzetslaan and the swamp forest, seven ‘guardians’ will be constructed: imposing sculptural apartment buildings averaging seven stories high, with some taller elements reaching up to ten or even twelve stories. These buildings will form the definitive southern edge of Purmerend and will be visible from a distance. By 'breaking open' the building blocks, sightlines are created, allowing as many apartments as possible to have views of the forest.
Parking spaces, a communal bike storage area, visitor parking, and shared cars will be accommodated at ground level between the buildings. The parking facilities will be screened from view by a deck featuring individual and/or communal gardens.
The space between the apartment buildings can be designed as publicly accessible green areas thanks to this parking solution. This arrangement ensures that all residences have views of and as much direct access as possible to green spaces.
Parking spaces, a communal bike storage area, visitor parking, and shared cars will be accommodated at ground level between the buildings. The parking facilities will be screened from view by a deck featuring individual and/or communal gardens.
The space between the apartment buildings can be designed as publicly accessible green areas thanks to this parking solution. This arrangement ensures that all residences have views of and as much direct access as possible to green spaces.
Compact Residential Blocks
The compact blocks in the center of the development area will also feature a central parking facility, screened by green gardens. The main difference is the scale. With an average building height of four stories, many homes are ground-level and have direct access to public green spaces.
The green streets will align with the direction of the ditches in the existing polder structure. These ditches, with their widened and natural banks, add an extra dimension to the green streets. All of these green streets will lead to a neighborhood park.
The green streets will align with the direction of the ditches in the existing polder structure. These ditches, with their widened and natural banks, add an extra dimension to the green streets. All of these green streets will lead to a neighborhood park.
Stolphouses
Along the Westerweg, many distinctive stolp farms are found. To preserve the characteristic Purmerend appearance, modern stolps in various sizes and materials will be integrated. Their pyramid shape allows for taller buildings of up to 8 stories without being visually intrusive. The light always beautifully highlights the stolps, making their height less prominent.
The larger modern stolps will feature internal parking facilities, while the smaller stolps will have parking spaces at ground level. A cluster of the larger stolps will be situated on the northern side of the area, with access via Verzetslaan. This configuration will ensure that only a few smaller stolps in the south will be accessed via Westerweg.
The larger modern stolps will feature internal parking facilities, while the smaller stolps will have parking spaces at ground level. A cluster of the larger stolps will be situated on the northern side of the area, with access via Verzetslaan. This configuration will ensure that only a few smaller stolps in the south will be accessed via Westerweg.
