Amsterdam: The city of water

“In Amsterdam, the water is the mistress and the land the vassal.”

Félix Martí Ibáñez

As mentioned in the previous post, water is a key theme in Urban Political Ecology which is very pertinent to Amsterdam. Amsterdam has a special relationship with water, with the city’s name itself referring to a dam on the river Amstel around which the city developed (Gawlik et al. 2017; Meyer 2009). Amsterdam lies at 2m below sea level and the surrounding land has been engineered to create and sustain the city (Gawlik et al. 2017). Dikes and dams are key infrastructural features for flood protection (Meyer 2009). Amsterdam’s intricate concentric canal system was built in the 17^th Century with multiple purposes in mind: residential development, defence, and management of excess water. Today, over 100 km of canals remain, which are mostly navigable (Gawlik et al. 2017).

Development of Amsterdam around the dam in the Amstel river: from the thirteenth century (a) to the sixteenth century (e). Source: Meyer (2009), p.435

Water flows through the city and connects social and biophysical processes to produce new forms of urban nature (Gandy 2004). This fits into the idea of urban metabolism. The material quality of water and its role in the production of the city is seen in the way in which Amsterdam was developed around water. However, as Gandy highlights, it is also important to consider the social importance of water.

“Water is not simply a material element in the production of cities but is also a critical dimension to the social production of space.”

Gandy 2004, p.273

The importance of water in maintaining the metabolism of the ‘wider social fabric’ (Gandy 2004, p.363), is seen in the way in which life in Amsterdam is shaped by the presence of water. Amsterdam is a popular tourist destination in part due to its iconic canals. Water in Amsterdam is also a central feature of leisure in the city. Having just completed my Erasmus in the nearby city of Leiden and spent time in Amsterdam over the summer, this is definitely something that I have noticed. During the heatwave in August, when walking through the city you could see people on their boats enjoying drinks with friends, people swimming in canals and terraces set up along the canals so that people can dine with a view. Another example of this link between water and leisure is when people ice skate on the frozen canals in winter.

‘Ice skaters glide over frozen canal in Amsterdam’ (Source: The Guardian, 2018)

Although water shapes the Amsterdam way of life and Amsterdam is at real risk of flooding, the Dutch are not necessarily water conscious (Besamusca and Verheul 2014). For example, a survey carried out by the Hoogwaterbeschermingsprogramma (Flood Protection Programme) showed that most Dutch people are not worried about flooding and believe that the authorities are well equipped to deal with flood risks. A 2005 survey also showed that water is not an issue of high concern (TNS-NIPO).  This can be explained by the technological infrastructure in place.  The Dutch have learned to live with water rather than fight it. Water management in Amsterdam is testament to this. The city is considered to be exemplar in terms of water management, particular areas of strength being wastewater management and climate change adaptation (Gawlik et al. 2017). The infrastructure is very much present and operating so effectively that it seems invisible to most. This also highlights how water is connected to technological networks, which are of course operated by humans and therefore inextricably linked to politics (Gandy 2004). Gandy highlights how these processes may give rise to inequalities, which makes water a ‘delineator of social power’ (p.373).

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References

Besamusca, E. and Verheul, J., (eds.) (2014). ‘Discovering the Dutch: On Culture and Society of the Netherlands’, Amsterdam University Press B.V, Amsterdam.

Gandy, M. (2004). ‘Rethinking urban metabolism: water, space and the modern city.’ City, 8(3), pp.363-379.

Gawlik, B.M., Easton, P., Koop, S., Van Leeuwen, K., Elelman, R., (eds.). (2017). ‘Urban Water Atlas for Europe’. European Commission, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg. 160 pp.

Meyer, H. (2009). ‘Reinventing the Dutch Delta: complexity and conflicts.’ Built Environment, 35(4), pp.432-451.

TNS-NIPO. (2005). ‘Nederlanders zijn niet goed op de hoogte van waterproblematiek’, Amsterdam: TNS-NIPO. Available at: http://www.waterland.net