“I jumped at the chance to live in Zuidas”

Zuidas is a distinctive part of the city and in high demand among house hunters. Between now and 2040, some 8,000 to 9,000 new homes will be built here. Once known mostly as an office location, more recently Zuidas has been shedding that image in a complete metamorphosis. When Zuidas is finished in around 2040, a projected 15,000 people will call it home. In this section, we ask residents to tell us where they live and how they like life in Zuidas. This time, we talked to Stephanie Mulder (24). She loves the corner apartment she first moved into as a student, with its fantastic view and central location in Zuidas. These days, she’s living her passion for motorsport as a marketeer at the Pon Porsche Dealergroep.

Stephanie, tell us something about yourself...
“I am from Badhoevedorp originally. When I turned 18 I started studying business administration at the VU. During my third year, I lived in Montréal, Canada, to achieve my minor in marketing. After finishing my masters degree, I started my career as a marketeer at the Pon Porsche Dealergroep where I’m responsible for our dealers in Amsterdam, Leusden, Groningen and Rotterdam.”

What brought you to Zuidas?
“When I started studying in Amsterdam I wanted to leave home and live in the big city. I didn’t actually move until I was 19, initially with a friend in Oud West. I had a great time living here as a student. A few years later I got the opportunity to move to the Gustav Mahlerlaan, and of course I jumped at the chance. In March 2020 I finally moved to Zuidas.”

What makes Zuidas a nice place to live, in your eyes?
“I would not have seen myself living in Zuidas initially. But it’s really nice here. Zuidas has many new and cool buildings, which was a big draw for me. Lots of young and nice people reside in my building, so I’m in my element. My apartment has a great view and I can see across the whole district. Zuidas has really come to feel like home.”

Is there anything still missing in the area?
“There’s less to do in Zuidas at weekends because the area is still primarily oriented to the office rhythm. Now that more houses are being built, I think small businesses are more likely to consider Zuidas as a location. And once we get more residents and places like that in the area, it will automatically become more dynamic during the weekends. Beatrixpark is also a great spot and the perfect place to get a sense of community going. Who wouldn’t love to come to the park with friends on a sunny summer day to check out all the food and beverage trucks?”

Name Stephanie Mulder
Building The Gustav
Hobbies Skiing – I am big on winter sport – motor sport, and going out with friends.
Favourite spot in Zuidas “I often visit Rocycle for my workouts, and Back, which is a health-food restaurant and one of my favorite hotspots.”
Favourite spot/object at home “My favorite part of my apartment is the kitchen, where I enjoy cooking with friends. When I’m home alone, I love lounging around on the sofa. My place has a cabinet that has a special meaning to me. It’s made of wood from a former monastery and handcrafted by my dad.”