Artisplein Amsterdam: A Michael van Gessel Design Integrating Urban Space with Nature and Culture

Artisplein is a new, freely accessible public space in Amsterdam, designed by Michael van Gessel and completed in 2014. It serves as a tranquil oasis that seamlessly integrates the Artis zoo with the urban environment, connecting culture, nature, and the city.

Artisplein, designed by landscape architect Michael van Gessel and realized in 2014, marks Amsterdam's acquisition of a new public space situated at the corner of Plantage Kerklaan and Plantage Middenlaan. This freely accessible area connects the city with the Natura Artis Magistra complex, integrating elements such as the renovated Ledenlokalen, Micropia, and the planned Groote Museum. The design features a brick 'carpet' that unifies the various components of the square, creating an intimate atmosphere. A fountain, the 'Watertafel', runs parallel to the Hollandse Polder, a monumental aviary housing a significant collection of spoonbills and other wetland birds, evoking the landscape before the city's development. The project aimed to connect Artis, traditionally a zoo within the city, with its surroundings, transforming it into a city park featuring animals. The square successfully blends culture, nature, and urban life, offering a sense of holiday within the city. It is flanked by two monuments: the Ledenlokalen and the Groote Museum. The Ledenlokalen, largely designed by Gerlof Bartholomeus Salm, have been restored and repurposed to house Micropia, modern hospitality services like café-restaurant de Plantage, studio spaces, and rental halls, echoing their historical functions as meeting places for Artis members. Sprenger von der Lippe architects were involved in the development of Micropia and the restoration, ensuring the new structures retained the original building's grid and spatial qualities while emphasizing the historical elements through sober, contemporary architecture.

The Artisplein is a new, freely accessible public space in the city.