arcam

Ring structures often form the hard edge of our cities: highways, rail lines, zones separating the inside and outside of the ring. They mark boundaries, accelerate movement, but also exclude and divide. In the Amsterdam region, many plans have been made for this infrastructure, though in recent years, policies have become more cautious. At the same time, these places—under viaducts, along verges, on tunnel roofs—offer new opportunities. New forms of use, interaction, and urban expression are emerging here. In this Barcam, we explore how ring structures—from viaducts to tunnel roofs—can be transformed into places of encounter, greenery, housing, or culture. What else could the ring be?

Take part in the thought experiment. Away with the ring. As architects and urban designers, the highway is a favorite object of contemplation. Join this quest: what is this space—purely functional, or does it have a certain quality? Should we remove the highway entirely and pretend it never existed? Or should we preserve and transform it, like New York’s High Line? What if the ring were a canal? Or if it had housing built on top? What if the ring were a moat? A park? An industrial zone? A built-up boulevard?

Discover how a boundary line can also be a space—and how looking differently at infrastructure can open up new ideas for the city of tomorrow.

Esther Reith is the chief designer of the Eastern Flank and works for the Spatial Planning and Sustainability Directorate of the City of Amsterdam. As supervisor of large-scale urban projects such as Strandeiland and project lead for the Slavery Museum, she thinks in the long term. Esther poses the question: what if we dared to radically reimagine the city? From her strategic perspective on the metropolitan region, she reflects on the spatial impact of infrastructure and the opportunities for reprogramming ring zones.

Leonard van Munster is a visual artist known for his installations in unexpected locations in and around Amsterdam, including his work under the A10. He explores the tension between fiction and reality and creates oases in the fringes of the city. His work raises questions about appropriation, chance, and meaning-making in seemingly neglected areas—such as infrastructure zones like underpasses and verges—and shows how these leftover spaces can inspire imagination.

Peter Oei lives on the edge of the Gaasperdammertunnel in Amsterdam Southeast. What is it like to live next to a highway as a resident? And how does your perspective change when that highway becomes a tunnel with a park on top? Peter shares his experience of how the highway was long a barrier in the neighborhood—a hard dividing line between communities—and how the arrival of the tunnel roof, with bridges and connections, has profoundly changed the sense of space and community in Southeast Amsterdam.

Moderated by: Robin Beers and Mimi Oldenhave (Barcam Committee)

Date: Thursday 3 July 2025
Time: doors open from 6pm
Short panel discussion: 7pm – 7.30 pm
Location: Arcam, Prins Hendrikkade 600
Language Panel Discussion: English

Holy Moly Pizza
Especially for Barcam, Holy Moly Pizza brings their pizza truck to the doorstep every month to prepare fresh pizzas on the spot for you!

Affordable Comfort
Entry is free, and we keep our drinks and snacks affordable. Barcam is all about accessibility and diversity.

Prices:
Beer – €2.50
Beer 0.0% – €2.50
Wine – €3.50
Soft drinks – €2.00

Accessibility: Arcam is wheelchair accessible. All floors can be reached via the elevator and there is a modified toilet on the ground floor. If you need extra support (such as a sign language interpreter) to attend this event, please call or email Arcam at 020 620 48 78 or arcam@arcam.nl

Fallon Walton (LEVS architecten), Sanne Oehlers en Leonoor Hogerheijde (Sweco), Robin Beers (INBO), Jaap van den Hoogen en Juliette Zegers (de Architekten Cie.), Mimi Oldenhave (Mecanoo), Ammar Alhoushi (Ammodo Architecture), Dario Sposini (KAAN Architecten), Bogdan Vlădescu (Rijnboutt), Sam-Lin Fung-A-Loi (Gemeente Amsterdam) and Sjaan van der Tol (Arcam)