Integrated development management with stakeholders

The development process of SPOT Amsterdam was supervised by project management firm Drees & Sommer Netherlands. "We performed the project management for SPOT X, Y and Z, in a triangle with development parties DUQER and COD," says development manager Prakash Sewlal. "The main challenge here was to translate the private-law requirements and ambitions into the design in relation to the scope of the development program."

The realization of the area transformation in Amsterdam-Zuidoost (demolition and complete new construction) had a long development process with a strong role for the municipality. The Municipality of Amsterdam has firm ambitions with the transformation of Amstel III business park, including in terms of image quality and the environment and thus future livability. "This includes issues such as climate adaptation, energy performance and the microclimate. It was very beneficial that the municipality structurally had a full team at the table in the monthly consultations. This allowed us to put issues on the agenda with each other at the right time, agree on them and tick them off," Sewlal said.

'Solar crown'

For example, the stricter EPC requirement for the planning area caused an additional need for solar roofs, to which end a "solar crown" was eventually devised for the high-rise parts of SPOT Amsterdam. "This then had to be tailored to the maximum allowable building height."

An area development of this magnitude also brings social expectations and duties. "For example, a gesture was made by the developers and during the corona period - while the project was steaming along at full speed - toward local retailers to support them."

In addition to the development process, Drees & Sommer supervised, among other things, the entire management of parties to prepare the plots for construction, as well as the selection and contracting of the executing parties. "After that, the project was handed over to main contractor Pleijsier Bouw for the realization of SPOT X and Y and Van Roey for the realization of SPOT Z. All phases are now in progress," concludes Sewlal.