#Amsterdam after 6 pm

Zhe Hou: #Amsterdam after 6 pm: Planning for a diverse and balanced night-time economy

Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Mentors: Arie Romein, Akkelies van Nes
Keywords: Night-time economy, gentrification, polycentric city, spatial planning

With the development of the social economy, the traditional urban work and rest pattern of working during the day and resting at night has gradually changed. The night-time economy has become a new engine for urban regeneration, economic growth and cultural creation. The growth of tourism in Amsterdam has also benefited from its inclusive and prosperous night-time economy. However, the agglomeration of the nightlife industry in Amsterdam’s city center results in a rise in noise, crime, and antisocial behavior, which triggers a backlash from residents. As a current countermeasure adopted by the municipality, state-led gentrification has mitigated the night-time economy’s negative externalities to an extent and caused massive closures of nightlife venues.

The research aims to solve the dilemma of Amsterdam’s night-time economy through planning instruments that optimize the urban polycentricity. The research explores integrated strategies and multi-scale spatial interventions to stimulate the development of peripheral night-time industry clusters while minimizing the nuisance, in order to improve the livability of the city center and contribute to a diverse and balanced night-time economy in Amsterdam.