The summer of 2015 was wonderful for Uithoorn. After the festive spring opening of the redevelopment of the market, the Wilhelminakade, a portion of Dorpsstraat and the adjacent new marina for visitors by Mr Remkes, the King's Commissioner for North Holland, the (re)newed public areas and marina were enthusiastically put into service. In the new situation the local hospitality entrepreneurs have the option of spacious outdoor cafés, with views of the new green boulevard along the Amstel and the marina for visitors. From now on water sports enthusiasts will know where Uithoorn is again, and they will bring about a new momentum for the local retail and hospitality entrepreneurs. For this purpose provisions have been made for a special 'shopping jetty'.
But the redevelopment has also provided public space for an attractive shopping, habitational and entertainment area for the residents of Uithoorn. Especially when, in addition to this, the new Cultural building will be realised here in a short while.
On commission for the Municipality of Uithoorn and ‘Hart aan de Amstel’ (van Wijnen / Linders Vastgoed), MTD landschapsarchitecten has drawn up the development plan and the technical elaboration for the Market, Wilhelminakade, a portion of Dorpsstraat and the marina for visitors. In respect of the marina facilities, there was close cooperation with Jan Lodder from JP Recreatiemanagement. Aside from the planning processes and technical elaboration, MTD was also responsible for the participation process with neighbours, retailers and hospitality entrepreneurs.
The development plan for the public space includes the boulevard along the Amstel and the marina for visitors. In this, provisions were made for a clear zoning of the public space and an improved habitational quality with a raised section for the outdoor cafés and a leafy pedestrian route under newly planted lime trees along the water. The materialisation is high-grade and sustainable, and radiates an atmosphere achieved through the application of baked clinkers, natural stone and high-grade street furnishings.
The traffic has been given a clear, but modest space with a driving strip situated lower for local traffic, slow traffic and a zone for the shopping public and outdoor cafés along the façades.
The shopping jetty is situated at the site of the oldest part of Uithoorn ‘the Schans’ where formerly a wooden bridge crossed over the Amstel. The design is a contemporary echo of the former bridge head and also provides a mooring facility for canal boats.
