Amsterdam in 3D: a gift of vision and craftsmanship
Cor van Zadelhoff on why he loves Amsterdam and Zuidas
In honour of Amsterdam’s 750-year history, real estate magnate Cor van Zadelhoff of brokerage firm Zadelhoff is presenting a special tribute to his beloved city: a seventy-square metre scale model intricately constructed of 3D-printed parts. This extraordinary map of the entire city will be installed in the lobby of WTC in Zuidas. In our interview with him, Cor van Zadelhoff talked about his personal ties to Amsterdam, his views on urban development and what role Zuidas can play in the future city.
What significance does Amsterdam hold for you, personally and professionally?
“The answer to that is simple: it’s my city. After working all over the world, in 1970 our firm decided to phase out all international operations to end with a single portfolio. That became Amsterdam, and I never regretted the choice. The personal and the professional are inextricable in that regard.”
What sparked the idea for this scale model of Amsterdam?
“A few years ago I was at the MIPIM real estate trade fair in Cannes – along with an Amsterdam alderman and the head of the city real estate company – where we saw several large models of cities like London and Paris. I said: we ought to make one of these for Amsterdam. In the run-up to the Amsterdam 750 celebration, I decided we’d present the city with a large scale model.”
How did the city respond?
“Very enthusiastically. The project was put on hold for a while due to Covid, but later they came back to us asking to revive the idea. Our foundation took up the initiative again and now the model is in the works. “
Who are involved in this project?
“Roberto Meyer is heading up the aesthetic side, overseeing some twenty 3D printers to create detailed replicas of every single building in Amsterdam. It will be a really unique object. And the model also includes the city’s outskirts, making it approximately seventy square metres all together.”
Why did you choose WTC in Zuidas as the location to display it?
“This was the most logical place, in the end. The city was considering some other locations initially, but WTC is publicly accessible, covered and has enough space. Also, Zuidas is a vital modern-day link in the story of Amsterdam.”
Did you learn anything new about Amsterdam in the process of creating the model?
“I keep up with day-to-day city developments so there were no real surprises. But the scale model does a good job of showing the potential for further densification within the city’s existing confines, which I think is an important insight.”
What led you to relocate your company to Zuidas?
“Before this, we occupied two villas on Dijsselhofplantsoen, where we were spread out across six floors, which wound up being pretty inefficient. This property in Zuidas is actually one of our own prior office developments. We’re on a single floor here, which is more transparent as well as nicer socially. It also frees up space for housing, as our old premises are being converted into homes.”
What role do you see Zuidas playing in Amsterdam’s 750-year story?
“Zuidas is the place for financials. I see Amsterdam as having five thematic districts. There’s the centre, Noord, Oost, West and Zuid. Each should have its own function. Oost is for recreation, West for care services, Noord for administration and Zuid for business services. You don’t want to muddy those functions too much. Each district should remain distinctive.”
If asked to pick out one element of Zuidas in this scale model, what would it be?
“I’ll go with the WTC and ABN AMRO. They have been the two major magnets in Zuidas – and are still immensely important. Given that, I hope the city will exercise restraint with ground lease prices. ABN AMRO once threatened to leave on account of the costs. Let’s not repeat these mistakes.”
You’ve also mentioned a smaller version of this scale model that could travel around. What’s the idea there?
“This scale model is too big to be easily transported, so we’re creating a smaller, travel-size version to be able to show at international trade fairs and presentations. That way, we can show the essence of Amsterdam worldwide.”
To conclude, what do you want your gift to accomplish?
“I hope it shows people what an extraordinary city Amsterdam is and how much potential it has. It’s a gift to the city, but also an invitation to look ahead. Amsterdam has been developing for 750 years already, and that’s something we should be proud of.”
The Maquette is offered to Amsterdam 750 - Gemeente amsterdam by Het Zadelhoff Fonds en Reggeborgh.
CoSponsors in the project are: MVSA Architects, World Trade Center ( CBRE Investment Management ) Vebego, OneEightyOne LED Lighting, Reborn, Royal Ahrend and Focus on Impact.
Text: Romy Lange
Photography: Roxanne Wilm
