Amsterdamse Bos – Dienst der Publieke Werken, 1960

“Het Amsterdamse Bos”, colour offset print published by the Dienst der Publieke Werken (Amsterdam Public Works Department) in 1960. Approx. 61 × 40 cm.

Amsterdam City Council approved the creation of the Amsterdamse Bos in 1928, as part of a major expansion of the recreational facilities available to the rapidly growing city. The forest was designed by the urban planners Cornelis van Eesteren and Jakoba Mulder, with important contributions from the biologists Jac. P. Thijsse and A.J. van Laren.

Construction began in 1934, during the years of the Great Depression. With unemployment at exceptionally high levels, the project became a large-scale unemployment-relief scheme. The Nederlandsche Heidemaatschappij (Association for Wasteland Redevelopment) supervised the work, which was carried out largely by unemployed men obliged to work in return for relief payments. Prisoners were also employed as forced labourers.

The project was enormous in scale. At times around 1,000 men a day were at work, including both manual labourers and former office workers. Between 1934 and 1940 alone, some 20,000 people took part in the construction of the forest. Work continued after the Second World War and the Amsterdamse Bos was finally completed in 1964.

This map was published four years before completion and presents the Amsterdamse Bos as a fully developed recreational landscape. Woodland, open meadows, water, sports grounds and playgrounds were deliberately combined to provide both organised recreation and informal outdoor leisure.

The accompanying text emphasised this purpose: “There is ample space in the woods for all sorts of games. A shallow lake and playground for small children have been constructed to the south-west of the large public playing field, and there are other children’s playgrounds near the old Koenensluis, and in the ‘Meerzicht’ Tea Gardens. In addition, there are free playing fields for young children, especially laid out with smaller dimensions, goalposts etc. Free games came be played on several large fields, and in some parts sunbathing is permitted.”

Price: Euro 125,-