Tunnels for cylists and pedestrians

The new Arena stadium occupies a prominent place in a large area in Amsterdam-Zuidoost which is being developed and which is also to have mega-stores, a mega-cinema and theatres. As part of the infrastructure near the stadium, Quist Wintermans has designed a number of viaducts, a pedestrian tunnel and a cycle/pedestrian tunnel.

A key point of departure in the design was public safety, which is an extremely important aspect of this type of structure – especially in an area where there is no housing. The cycle/pedestrian tunnel on Burgemeester Stramanweg exemplifies the designer’s principles. This concrete tunnel is approximately 120 metres long. It is characterized by large areas of striking colours and ‘gaps’ in the walls and ceilings. These gaps mean that the user has contact with the outside, reducing the feeling of being enclosed. (ARCAM/BM)