Opening of Houthavens Botanique Pocket Park by H.R.H. Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme

On 12 June 2025, Princess Margarita officially opened the brand-new Houthavens Botanique in Amsterdam’s Houthavens district – a pocket park that underscores the importance and power of outdoor space. For Erwin Stam, designing this urban oasis was a long-cherished dream. And for him, this is only the beginning: “It’s a place for a moment of peace – where you can simply be still. Amid the daily rush of deadlines and stress, this space offers room for reflection and fresh ideas. In the park’s secluded setting, people can genuinely connect with one another. The Netherlands truly deserves more green spaces like this in the public domain.”

Collaboration

The festive, sun-drenched afternoon began with a conversation between Princess Margarita, Erwin Stam, Eijk van Otterloo, Dirk Ebben, and Mitra van Raalten. Houthavens Botanique was born from the ambition to improve and green the public realm. Initiator Eijk van Otterloo, director of the adjacent property company Heren2 and owner of several buildings in the Houthavens area, said: “We have a green heart. It would be such a waste not to transform this plot, which can’t be developed for the next ten years, into a green beacon amidst all the buildings here.”
Stam, founder of Erwin Stam Tuinstudio, immediately saw the potential of the vacant site. With his creativity, design talent, and botanical expertise, he became the driving force behind the green identity of Houthavens Botanique. As landscape director, he shaped the story, atmosphere, and realisation of the new city park – working closely with Heren2 and Boomkwekerij Ebben. Stam’s designs are characterised by a dynamic balance between classical structure and innovative development, with a focus on biodiversity, sustainability, and climate resilience. By connecting city life and nature, client and environment, and calm and energy, he brings soul to his projects. His signature is clearly present in Houthavens Botanique: an intimate space with layered greenery, strong visual lines, and attention to human needs. “If you feel what this place does to you, you’ll want to stay here too,” says Stam.
Together with his multidisciplinary team, Stam shaped Houthavens Botanique inspired by pocket parks he encountered in New York and Paris. “It’s compact – you could almost put it in your pocket – yet it has a huge impact on the neighbourhood.” His global knowledge of gardens and parks gives his work an international quality, and his goal is to contribute to a healthier living environment where green space is essential. For Stam, the ultimate outdoor environment brings depth and enrichment: “I want there to be peace – for you to feel comfortable, to escape for a moment, to forget everything. To understand that a garden can heal you. A great outdoor space must offer relief on every level.”
Boomkwekerij Ebben, based in Cuijk, supplied the trees and plants for Houthavens Botanique. Sharing the belief that a balance between greenery and hardscape benefits human wellbeing, Ebben and Stam have worked together on various projects. With Heren2, they aim to enhance public space through quality landscaping. Dirk Ebben, director of the family business where a passion for nature runs five generations deep, said: “Our living environment can’t thrive without the power of green.” Together with Stam, he selected special trees and plants suited to the urban climate.
The interaction between land and water at Houthavens Botanique is highlighted by a striking mural by Berlin-based art collective Innerfields. Every five years, the nearby quay hosts SAIL – the world’s largest maritime event. The 2025 theme, United by Waves, is also the mural’s title. For Mitra van Raalten, director of SAIL 2025, the artwork symbolises the connection between people and nature – a connection also embodied in Houthavens Botanique. Van Raalten co-initiated the mural together with Heren2 and street art platform Writer’s Block. Stam hopes for more temporary art and creative interventions to strengthen the link between nature and art in public space.

Opening

The park was officially opened by Princess Margarita. With her brand, De Parme Design, she creates nature-inspired jewellery that highlights the beauty and significance of outdoor life. Her designs reflect organic forms – like the oak leaf. “The oak is a primordial tree and also one for the future. It’s beautiful to see it standing right here in the centre of the park,” she said.
Through De Parme Design, Princess Margarita supports various projects by Trees for All – a foundation committed to a forest-rich planet for more than 25 years. “This is how I give something back to nature, which is an endless source of inspiration for me.” As patron of Trees for All, she advocates for reforestation in the Netherlands and abroad, and encourages public involvement.
The vision of Houthavens Botanique perfectly aligns with her mission. “We often underestimate the role of green space in our cities. It’s essential – for ideas, for relationships, and for inspiration,” Princess Margarita concluded. The seeds she scattered during the ceremony symbolise growth. It begins here in Amsterdam, but according to Stam, it should spread – across the Netherlands and beyond.