Let's Turn More Empty Lots Into Mini-Golf Courses

Right now the construction economy in the Netherlands is sluggish, with many projects frozen half-finished or in the prenatal plat-of-dull-gravel stage. This stagnancy is a particular problem in Amsterdam, where vacant lots are scattered about like gray deserts in an otherwise comely town.

One of those empty lots is located on the grounds of the Amsterdam Harbour Club, a site that used to house a silo farm but now remains temporarily devoted to parking. Rather than stare at this uninspiring flatland for the foreseeable future, two local groups – NL Architects and Platform Openbare Ruimte – collaborated to plop down some green space and spruce up the neighborhood. And not just any green space, but a functioning nine-hole mini-golf course where parents and kids could whack balls around to their heart's content.