AMSTERDAM   WATER

Vitruvius aan de Amstel

Amsterdam is a circular-built city. Three main canals around the center: that’s quite easy. But near the Nieuwmarkt it’s a maze of waterways. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a map of the waterways just like the metro map of London and Paris?

Since 2010 Amsterdam is UNESCO world heritage: the canals as an example of wonderfully preserved 17th century city-planning.

Urban planning and architecture in the Renaissance (16th / 17th century, Alberti, Michelangelo) revisited the classic ideas of Vitruvius: mathematical organization, preferably grids, circles, squares, and symmetry. Whether these ideas have played a role in the urban planning of Amsterdam? Just a few notes and sketches have been found. The planning might as well have had a practical (the shape of the existing town) or economic (circular extension: maximum sq.meters behind by the cheapest -circular- wall) background.

Amsterdam, Subway Map, Renaissance, Vitruvius:  first sketches I made February 2013. Background grid (initially 10 x 10 squares). Singel, the three main canals, Lijnbaansgracht and 19th century circular Singel, the other canals as much as possible drawn vertically or horizontally with the exception, as in reality, of the Leidsgracht directed towards the Nieuwmarkt and the Reguliersgracht in the direction of the Old Church. Alltogether: 100 waterways. Someone suggested to draw some of the famous buildings. I designed 10.

May 2013 the first Water Schematic Map was printed (white 50 x 70cm). Other sizes and colors followed. I made minor corrections on a regular base. (well, “minor”: first edition – collectors item – small part of Lijnbaansgracht is not filled up: there’s a square at Raamplein since 100 years !).

Rene Zeggeren