14 mei 2014

NDSM kunststad









"NDSM is a former ship building factory in North Amsterdam. Abandoned in the 80s during the wave of European de-industrialization, it lay empty for many years until it was squatted by artists and activists. Being quite a distance from central Amsterdam, NDSM became a free haven — a terrain of artist studios and creative living set-ups that existed outside the immediate influence of the Law. Here is a short history of the place.

NDSM has been slowly ‘legitimized’ and incorporated into the mainstream culture of Amsterdam. With regular free ferry service from Centraal Station, and fantastic views of the city from its waterfront, NDSM has become home to many beloved and often-frequented party venues and restaurants. NDSM also hosts the monthly IJ-hallen market, one of “Europe’s largest flea markets”, attracting many visitors from around the city and beyond. With the opening of MTV studios, NDSM had made the full leap from illegitimate and ‘free’ artist haven into a fully incorporated, and prosperous, district of the city.

Of course NDSM retains the flavour of its artistic, squatted past: that’s why people love it’s vibe so much. Many cultural links from the past inhabitants of the space have been retained, along with a majority of its aesthetics. NDSM is home to abandoned Trams that people live in, venues built out of shipping containers, and enormous industrial cranes that are clear homages to its history of ship building.
....
It’s somewhat of a shame that NDSM has lost its political, ultra creative routes. But in general, the project is quite successful in integrating an immensely creative space into the wider city, while letting the creativity breath.
....
Quite impressively, the incredibly large ship-building warehouse of NDSM has been slowly converted into an indoor village of artist studios. The Kunststad (Art City) is an impressive and novel project that looks and feels like a small European town has somehow sprouted under the shelter of the warehouse. The streets are curving and narrow, and the front facades of the studios — each its own structure — address each other pleasantly. There is even a second floor of city streets the criss cross above the ground-floor laneways.
....
It at first surprised me to think that the concept of an indoor city has never quite taken off architecturally. But I think that if this were ever planned or designed intentionally by an architect, it would never be a success. The indoor village that has emerged in NDSM is a product of a rich, organic phenomenon. Amsterdam was forced to reinterpret the behemoth structures of its past, and like a city built in a valley or the base of a mountain range, NDSM has treated the warehouse geologically, constructing something that works accordingly." (bron: the urban geographer)







"Onder de naam Kinetisch Noord zijn de gebruikers zelf aan de slag gegaan met de ontwikkeling van de enorme werkruimte waar ze in 2002 beschikking over kregen. Ze bouwden in de loods een Kunststad voor ruim 200 creatieven, 12 grote theaterwerkplaatsen, een van de top-rated indoor-skatebanen van Europa, en op het buitenterrein het restaurant Noorderlicht. Wat direct opvalt is de grote diversiteit: Kunststad herbergt ontwerpers, kunstenaars, theatermakers, filmmakers, architecten en andere creatievelingen.

Begin 2007 gingen de eerste kunstenaars aan de slag met hun atelier: gipsmuren erin, vloerverwarming leggen, beton storten en verven. Ze kregen hun werkruimtes opgeleverd als casco: een stalen constructie die ze zelf moesten afbouwen. ‘Dat was een bewuste keuze’, vertelt initiatiefneemster De Klerk, ‘want zo kan de huurder zelf bepalen hoe luxe en duur zijn stek wordt.’

Om het geheel structuur te geven en bestuurlijk beheersbaar te houden werd de Stichting Kinetisch Noord opgericht, die voor verhuur zorgt. In 2007/2008 is ook de eerder opgerichte huurdersvereniging Toekomst NDSM aan de slag gegaan. De vereniging behartigt de belangen van de ondernemers in de gebouwen." (bron: NDSM)

Geen opmerkingen:

Een reactie posten