Landscape architecture students visit Amsterdam

Undergraduate and postgraduate Landscape Architecture and Design students explored a rich variety of places, parks, docklands, business districts and city squares on a 4-day field study tour, from Monday 6th - Thursday 9th November 2023. Each day involved walking or taking a tram, and on the last day we cycled to a series of destinations.

On the first day, we visited Amsterdam Planning Office for a lecture from the chief landscape architect, Ruwan Aluvihare, on the historic development of Amsterdam and its public spaces.

The second day involved visiting Museumplein, and then a walk to Westergasfabriek Park. We also visited GWL-terrain, a car-free, environmentally friendly residential area with edible plants, green walls, and green roofs at the heart of Amsterdam.

On Wednesday 8th November, we visited the development of Ijburg and B+B Landscape office to discuss their recent design interventions in urban and rural landscapes.

On the final day, we hired bicycles and explored southern parts of the city including Amsterdam Zuid with high-rise (modern but still green) developments. We continued to Amstelveen’s beautiful Heemparks designed by Dutch botanist, Jac P. Thijsse. We finished at the 935 hectare Amsterdam Bos Park designed on modernist principles using the elements of woodland, open spaces and water.

Emily Ramskill, a BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture and Design student, said:

“It was an amazing time on our university trip during enhancement week to Amsterdam, The Netherlands. We had the privilege to explore landscape design throughout the city and further; with a bike ride to explore its beautifully designed woodlands and residential areas.

“Meeting up with practices and having tours to discover how landscape architects and designers have positively impacted the city is very inspiring and exciting.”

Ieman Manaf, who also studies BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture and Design, added:

“I found the trip to be very beneficial in understanding the different measures people have taken to reduce the effects of vehicular dominance and pollution. I personally enjoyed the lecture learning more about the history of Amsterdam’s streetscape; hosted by Ruwan, and the mitigation strategies to make the city more safe and more sustainable.

“It was nice that we got some free time in the evenings to explore the city and learn more about its culture. Overall, I'm pleased we had the opportunity to visit, and I would definitely recommend it to all other students.”

Abigail White was also part of the group:

"The trip was very insightful in that it allowed us to experience real life green infrastructure and beautiful architecture which could not be completely understood through a photograph. I appreciated the exposure to the practices over there since they take a very different approach to design than the UK. In addition to the academic aspect, it was a fantastic city to explore."