Redevelopment Remisekwartier

    A new start

    Om de rijke historische collectie van Amsterdamse trams en bussen beter te huisvesten en te kunnen exposeren heeft de stichting MOVE het initiatief genomen om een openbaar vervoermuseum te stichten. Het museum met veel rijdend materieel dient goed aangesloten te zijn op de museumtramlijn en het stadsnet, dat gebruikt wordt voor de populaire touristtram. Binnen de totale herontwikkeling van het Remisekwartier Havenstraat vormt het nieuwe OV-museum van Amsterdam een belangrijk onderdeel.

    On the tracks of the past

    Vitibuck Architects has been commissioned by foundation MOVE to design a masterplan for the Remisequarter Havenstraat in an interdisciplinary team with experts on cultural history, landscape architects and urban planners.

    The foundation MOVE is a voluntary organization lobbying to conserve historical trams and build a public transport museum at the tramwaydepot area; today an unused piece of land between the Olympiaquarter, the Schinkel Islands and the GVB depot.

    Characteristic for the area are the former industrial hangars, garages and the existence of the tracks over the last 100 years. Nowadays the museum tramline goes from the Haarlemmermeerstation, a listed monument, to Amstelveen and offers a tour back to history.

    Starting point for this masterplan is the cultural historical footprint of the location which forms the connection between the past and the present. The main aspect of the development strategy is improving the accessibility and public use of the site.

    A green wedge leads the visitors from the Haarlemmermeerstation to the museum and other public functions along the plinth of a series of new mix-used buildings which form a backbone for the area towards the existing GVB depot. The green lung connects the city to sportfacilities along the Schinkel and the Olympiaquarter.

    The museum forms a major public attractor in the plan along the park. The linear space of the museum is inspired by the classical concept of a tram depot with big gates at the frontage. The ground floor with a café/restaurant and an exposition window offers added value to the surrounding public space of the park. The museum is mainly designed as place for interaction and knowledge exchange; apprentices can gain technical experience and for the visitors there are workshops to work on the old trams.