How Amsterdam is Building the City of the Future

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This is an extract from our Future Cities series, where we explore how major destinations are using smart design to shape the city of the future. In this installment, we look at how Amsterdam is innovating in the wake of a population boom, repurposing space and rethinking urban user experience. Read the full article and video on the new Future Cities mini-site:
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Amsterdam is experiencing a population boom due to its draw as a progressive and central urban hub in the European knowledge economy. According to the Amsterdam City Council, as many as 150,000 inhabitants are expected to migrate into the city between now and 2040. This can place great burdens on a city—economically, physically and socially—if city planners don’t develop an all-encompassing city master plan to prepare for that influx of new people.

Central Amsterdam is already busting at the seams due to its tight geographic footprint rimming the city’s famous canals. Adding to the population surge, according to MasterCard’s 2015 Global Destination Cities Index, Amsterdam welcomes the fifth highest number of international passengers in Europe to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

In order for Amsterdam to expand intelligently, the Amsterdam City Council developed the comprehensive new Structural Vision Amsterdam 2040 city master plan, integrating innovative urban design and neighborhood rejuvenation strategies, myriad smart technology systems, and more advanced mobility options for residents and visitors. The overarching goal is to densify existing communities and build new suburban business, commercial and residential districts that maximize space as efficiently as possible within the A10 ring road encircling the city.

In the space between the urban core and the ring road, Amsterdam is populating huge swaths of post-industrial riverfront real estate and the outlying Amsterdam Noord and Zuidas districts to create a new “Metropolitan Amsterdam Area” and the smart city master plan of the future. Click below to view the full article:
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Future Cities is a collaboration between Skift and MasterCard, exploring how major destinations are preparing for the new age of urban mobility. From connected infrastructure to smart technologies, this series looks at how global cities are creating seamless and personalized experiences for visitors and residents. 

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