2ND PRIZE WINNERS – DAVID BENZ AND LUTHER YOUNG – OUT OF 252 STUDENTS

pdf. Jury rapport
In this short film, Benz demonstrates that you can do much more with a public space than merely holding a daily market. The fact that Amsterdam’s Albert Cuyp area was so clean and empty in the evenings inspired him to come up with the idea of using such places in the future (beyond 2040) to carry out medical operations, hold horse races or even to launch rockets.
Although the judging panel did not necessarily approve of that last idea, it is true that spatial planning rarely considers the multifunctional use of public areas. Benz’s film provides food for thought for considering just that. In exchange he was awarded a restaurant voucher worth €100. Over 250 students on senior secondary vocational and academic courses took part in the design competition in 54 student teams. Their challenge was to investigate the question: where in Amsterdam or the surrounding area can we find space to develop as an entrepreneurial, hospitable, sustainable, social, recreational and accessible city? The judging panel was chaired by Alderman Maarten van Poelgeest. You can press the picture button to start the short film.