Socio-Economic and Spatial Re-Organization of Albert Cuyp Market

摘要

Albert Cuyp Market, Amsterdam's most visited and famous street market, is an important wealth generating structure in the city. Its socio-economic mechanism, spatial organization and temporal dynamics present weaknesses as well as potentials. It is located in the zone designated for development as Amsterdam's Red Carpet, therefore the market and its surroundings are undergoing a process of urban regeneration. While formulating the scenario for this process, city authorities focus mostly on the role the market can play in urban branding and regional image making. This paper investigates an alternative spatial design for Albert Cuyp Market, which suggests inclusive urban regeneration for the market and its surroundings. The investigation brings together questions of spatial quality, rental rates, working hours, flexibility, building materials and income levels. It is expected that as a result of this design intervention, different income groups will co-exist in the same urban space, generating wealth from one single economic structure; opportunities will be created for the low-income groups to climb the income ladder; and the economic investment made in the urban regeneration will benefit all income groups equally.