Zuidas

Zuidas—Amsterdam’s sleek financial heart—is known for its towering glass buildings and corporate energy. But even the most modern districts need a pulse of creativity. That’s where the collaboration between STRAAT, Stadsdeel Zuid and Amsterdam Zuidas came in: a bold move to inject colour, character, and cultural expression into an area better known for boardrooms than brushstrokes.

Three aims led this project; to enhance the urban environment, boost mood and productivity and strengthen community connection. To do this, STRAAT had 120 metres of construction fencing to transform into a vibrant outdoor gallery of murals and street art, blending creativity with the area's sleek, corporate aesthetic to energise and humanise the urban landscape.

This project was commissioned by Stadsdeel Zuid and Amsterdam Zuidas, two key municipal partners working together to infuse creativity and cultural vibrancy into the fast-developing south of Amsterdam. Their shared vision was to turn a typical construction site into a dynamic cultural moment in the heart of the city’s financial district.

STRAAT Agency was invited to curate the artistic direction of the project, carefully selecting nine artists from both the Netherlands and abroad. This diverse lineup brought together a mixture of new voices and long-standing collaborators, creating an atmosphere of collaboration and creative exchange that echoed the project's community-centered goals.

The international artists included:

Georgia Hill (Australia) – Building a Shared Vision
Eloise Gillow (UK) – Building a Way of Life
SKLO / Sam Lo (Singapore) – Building Unity and Acceptance
Madi (Portugal) – Building Hope
Berni Puig (Spain)- Building connectio

They were joined by local artists:

Ottograph (Amsterdam) – Building a Sense of Place
Handiedan (Amsterdam) – Building on the Past
Danny Rumbl (Rotterdam) – Building Identity
Chris Marmier (Amsterdam) – Building Community

Each artist was invited not only for their aesthetic approach but for how their work aligned with one of nine thematic pillars: identity, connection, community, hope, unity, heritage, daily life, shared vision, and sense of place.

STRAAT developed Building Connections—a concept that captured both the physical transformation of Zuidas and its deeper ambition: to create visual, cultural, and emotional links between the area’s rapidly evolving identity and the people moving through it.

The 120-metre construction fence became a canvas for storytelling. Each mural reflected a different theme—hope, identity, unity, the past, the future, and more—allowing artists to create personal, impactful works that resonated with commuters, residents, and visitors alike. 

Zuidas wasn’t just building infrastructure—it was building meaning, momentum, and connection through art.

“The project Building Connections is very close to our hearts. We had the pleasure of working together with the STRAAT agency team. For us, it was an experimental and enriching experience. STRAAT had a strong sense of what the Zuidas area needed. Through this project and the fact that the artists were creating their art projects live on the Ravellaan, a sense of community was created. Their artwork brought new energy and vibrancy to the area. We are very happy with the result and hope that more stakeholders feel inspired and motivated to build on this initiative!”

- Zuidas, Mischa and Rosita from Zuidas

“Incredibly inspiring to be part of the ‘Connections’ project in my own city — especially alongside artists from all over the world. It was amazing to see how our works interacted, complemented each other, and even merged into a unified whole. A powerful statement on connection, shaped by eclectic perspectives and diverse backgrounds, ages, and cultures. And all of it coming together in the Zuidas, where this project not only enriches the space but also brings a new, future-oriented vision for the area to life.”

- Handiedan, Artist

Want to know more? Click here for information about our project with Altera.