Bos en Lommer

Area

Bos en Lommer is bordered by Haarlemmerweg to the north, De Baarsjes’ Jan van Galenstraat to the south, the city’s central wholesale market complex Markethallen to the east and the train line Ringspoorbaan to the west. The neighbourhood is dissected by the A10 ring highway with the Kolenkitbuurt forming Bos en Lommer’s western section.

History

Named after a farm roughly translated as ‘Forest and Shade’ that originally existed where today the central square Bos en Lommerplein is, Bos en Lommer can be seen as the test run for the Westelijke Tuinsteden (‘Western Garden Towns’) that makes up today’s Nieuw-West.

It arose during the 1920s and 30s along Admiraal de Ruiterkade, and consists mostly of apartment blocks and row housing. Its western half, Kolenkitbuurt, only came about after the end of WWII when it was just an improvised tent camp for the displaced. The area’s current redevelopment is trying to deal with the immigration gulfs and increased traffic that the original plans did not anticipate. Bos en Lommer also receives national funding to improve infrastructure and general liveability.

Highlights

Bos en Lommer is remarkably close to the city centre but its own centre is formed by the outdoor market on the newly renovated Bos en Lommerplein. There is also plenty of green. In particular Erasmuspark is a popular picnicking and barbequing spot.

While the eastern section has retained its authentic architecture, much of the newer developments show much promise: the Collage complex for 200 apartments just won a major architecture prize, as well as the residential complex Nieuwe Akbar which won a prize for the reuse of an old building.

Your neighbourhood

Family-oriented, Bos en Lommer has a very young and a multicultural population with the commercial street Bos en Lommerweg and the outdoor market on Bos en Lommerplein forming the heart. Cheaper rents also attract many students and artists. Individual sections have a strong sense of community.

Eating, drinking, etc

Being chiefly residential, Bos en Lommer dwellers generally head into town for their eating, drinking and culture. However there are many new eating and drinking opportunities along Bos en Lommerweg, with the multicultural theatre-cafe Mozaiek, located in a former church, giving the neighbourhood some social soul. Meanwhile Grand Café Fossa offers more traditional canal-side views from its terrace.