Green urban transformations: combining engineering with sustainability

“My day-to-day work focuses on green public spaces and playgrounds,” Jasper explains. “I’m also responsible for stakeholder management and reporting to the asset manager, and ultimately to the city council.” With multiple projects running in parallel, no two days look the same. Still, two initiatives stand out: the climate-resilient garden and the large-scale urban transformation surrounding the A9 highway.

From pilot to showpiece: the climate garden

The climate garden is one of Jasper’s projects from the very beginning. “As project manager, I led it from start to finish,” he says. The goal was clear: launch a pilot to test how climate-adaptive measures could work at the neighborhood level in real life.

Jasper took the lead in shaping the pilot phase, ensuring that technical expertise and collaboration went hand in hand. Together with a contractor, the team explored how the outdoor environment could better cope with heavy rainfall and heat. Solutions ranged from building water buffers and infiltration systems to strategically planting trees to provide shade and improve air quality. Community involvement was key. Local residents actively participated, shared feedback, and helped define priorities. The result is a green and welcoming outdoor space where climate adaptation, biodiversity, and quality of life come together.

A city above the highway: the A9 redevelopment

In addition to the climate garden, Jasper is involved in one of Amstelveen’s most ambitious spatial developments: the partial underground relocation of the A9 highway. “Over a stretch of 1.6 kilometers, the A9 will be placed underground in three separate sections,” he explains. “This will free up 260,000 square meters of new public space that can be reimagined and redesigned.”

For now, most of the work is technical and infrastructural. At the same time, Jasper is already looking ahead. How can these future spaces be designed to match the city’s ambition for green, sustainable living? “It’s incredibly inspiring to see how much potential is unlocked once a highway disappears from view,” he says. “Soon we’ll be creating places where people can play, move, and connect.”