Amsterdam’s Dichtersbuurt, a leafy neighbourhood centrally located in the garden city of Slotermeer, is wholly owned by housing associations. The homes in the neighbourhood were built in the 1950s and are due for renovation. Due to the severe housing shortage after the war, the originally single-family homes were converted into duplexes even before construction began. The homes are small (+/- 37 m2), technically outdated and no longer meet modern requirements. The Dichtersbuurt offers good opportunities for urban densification: the neighbourhood has a low housing density and is well connected due to its location on the main roads Burgemeester Röellstraat and Slotermeerlaan. The neighbourhood is located within a government-designated post-war reconstruction area, which is important for its cultural-historical value. The starting point for the renovation is therefore to preserve the significant characteristics of the General Expansion Plan (AUP) for Amsterdam.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Amsterdam was largely a poor city. When the city of Amsterdam annexed various (parts of) neighbouring municipalities in 1921, it was an opportunity to think about the development of the city as a whole. The General Expansion Plan for Amsterdam (AUP) was drawn up in 1934, based on the urban development principles of CIAM, the International Congress of Modern Architecture. It was the first time that space for relaxation and recreation was given such a prominent place in an urban development plan. Slotermeer became the first garden city neighbourhood in the so-called Western Garden Cities. However, the outbreak of the Second World War caused a major delay. It was not until after the war that a follow-up to the General Expansion Plan of the 1930s was published: the Expansion Plan for the Garden City of Slotermeer of 1952.

The focal points for physical and social regeneration: 

1. Very high densification: all 426 homes will be demolished and 850 homes will be rebuilt

2. The average size of the homes will be doubled

3. At least 426 social rented homes will be rebuilt so that no social rented homes disappear

4. In addition to housing, there will also be commercial and social facilities that contribute positively to the quality of life in the neighbourhood and create opportunities for residents

5. Broad profiles for light, air and space, with lots of green areas and quality of place

6. Residents will park in the blocks on the Slotermeerlaan. This will stop traffic early on, making the neighbourhood car-free. Visitors will park on the street

7. The public space is characterised by a hierarchy in the green structure and many opportunities to meet. A central meeting place will be created in the middle of the neighbourhood.

Density
Due to the good location and very low density of the Dichtersbuurt, there is great potential for urban densification. The densification ensures a better orientation for the Burgemeester Röellstraat. In this way, the edges act as urban axes and contribute to the urban quality at the city level.

 Programming the public space
There is a lot of green space in the neighbourhood, but good programming of this will ensure better use. Both the association and the residents lack a central meeting place.

Ribs as a basic urban development structure
The north-south oriented higher volumes, the so-called ‘ribs’ of the urban development plan, characterise the neighbourhood and ensure optimal sunlight in the courtyards and the homes, guaranteeing the qualities of a garden city.

Car-free neighbourhood
The Dichtersbuurt will be a neighbourhood where pedestrians and cyclists come first. In the existing situation, the green experience of the neighbourhood is often negated by rat-running and the many parked cars. With the introduction of a car ban, early interception of traffic in the garages and reduced on-street parking, the neighbourhood will be less dominated by cars.