Proposed Urban Plan Development for Amsterdam Centraal Station
- Map of Amsterdam – Shaded black area locates the Site for redevelopment
Working with a progressive urban planning design firm, T+T Design, The Netherlands, a feng shui proposal was created to redevelop a major piece of land adjacent to Amsterdam Centraal Station.
The program included the following: a new Stock Exchange building, a Public Library, a Communications/Media building, Residential Housing and a Park
The Design Concept is to create a dynamic and exciting project which will renew and enhance the image for Amsterdam – a city which is continually expanding, acknowledging its history, yet welcoming change and integrating natural design principles as the focus for the design. This unique project is to create a lush, green park oasis centered amid a thriving urban center. The shape of this proposed development is to be a circle within the square – circle symbolizes heaven and square symbolizes earth = “Heaven on Earth”.
Also, the circle connotes love, compassion, equality, a coming together which can facilitate the bringing (energetically & physically) the North part and the South part of Amsterdam together which will bring harmony and inspiration for future generations.
- Feng Shui Ba-Gua over the Proposed Development
By placing the Ba-Gua as our design tool, it was determined that the main entry or direction of “chi” was from Centraal Station.
This train station is the main hub to Amsterdam and to all of Europe. As a result, the new Stock Exchange building was located in the “Wealth & Power” area of the site.
Also, the shape of the building was based on the design of a fish which symbolizes abundance and prosperity. In addition, the location of the building is close to the river which symbolizes money.
The new Public Library was located in the “Knowledge” area of the site which included existing landmarked buildings. Since a library is composed of many different departments, it seemed appropriate to create this special institution where the people will feel cozy, yet acknowledging the history and character of these significant architectural buildings.
The new Communications and Media building was located in the “Helpful People and Travel” area of the site. The curved structure was proposed to acknowledge the “Metal” quality of this area.
Based on the fundamental Chinese theory of the Five Elements, it is best to harmonize our quality of life by balancing the elements: Fire, Earth, Water, Metal and Wood.
The Residential Housing was positioned in the “Marriage, Relationship and Children, Future” areas of the site. A very appropriate location so that the families have a quiet, “yin”, area away from the “yang” active areas of the other side of the site.
Also, these homes have a wonderful picturesque view towards the main city of Amsterdam.
The Park was designed to be built over the existing railroad tracks. Note that there are no habitable structures built over these railroad tracks. Living over moving roads or tunnels creates instability for the inhabitants.
Also, from the feng shui perspective, the creation of the Park symbolizes “Earth” which balances all the surrounding “Water” of the canals and the river. Interestingly, Amsterdam is built below sea level where “Earth” structures is very balancing for the people living here in Holland.
- Proposed Development for Oosterdoks Eiland, Centraal Station
Another interesting part of the program was to relocate the existing Chinatown located in Niewmarket which is extremely congested.
The feng shui proposal was to relocate Chinatown across the river to the low density neighborhood. Since there was already an established infrastructure for the cars and people via continual ferries and car tunnels beneath the waters, it was easily accessible for everyone to go back and forth from Amsterdam to north Amsterdam.
Also, by establishing the new Chinatown in this location, the benefits would certainly be palpable on many levels.
Chinatown would have much more space to expand their community, and the image of Amsterdam will change to become a very cosmopolitan city rather than the perception of a small town or village.
The result will be the perception that this area would become the “Hong Kong of the West” where the ferries will become a landmark to enhance Chinatown as well as the city of Amsterdam.
- Aerial View of the Existing Location of Oosterdoks Eiland with Centraal Station
Please note that the existing post office facilities have been relocated to another part of Holland and that these existing buildings will be demolished.
