The evolution of Schiphol and the national policy : working for an innovative mix of hardware, software and orgware. Schiphol has gone through a functional evolution since it’s opening in 1967. The airport’s sole function as a provider of air services has been replaced by a much broader functioning. The airport has evolved into an attractive pool for urban and economical development, known as AirportCity development. The surrounding areas have also reaped the benefits of the growth. Especially the corridors between Schiphol and Amsterdam are rapidly developed, and the entire airport area becomes an Aerotropolis. The dynamics on both the land –and airside are getting higher by the minute; meanwhile it seems that the national spatial economical policy can’t keep up with the pace and is lagging behind. The result is an inadequate national policy towards the spatial development of Schiphol. The static focus is too narrow; only investments in physical infrastructure and related software are considered. Understanding the powers and forces that shape both the space of flows and space of places is a prerequisite for developing a more realistic policy. With these insights the policy can get more realistic. We suggest that a policy design, in which an innovative mix of hardware, software and orgware is used, is best suited for proper dealing with the dynamics. (Author/publisher)
Abstract