Amsterdam, and more specifically the NDSM district 🕵️♀️
While NDSM is known today for its many festivals, concerts, and theater performances, the district was originally Amsterdam’s largest shipyard. But the “Docks and Dutch Shipbuilding Company” (NDSM) went bankrupt in 1984.
Everything was abandoned on site and left to rust. Very quickly, skateboarders turned it into a giant playground, while artists took over the warehouses to set up their clandestine studios. Graffiti from these two communities exploded and began to attract tourists curious about this sudden cultural boom.
So much so that in 2005, the city decided to repurpose the multicolored shipping containers into student housing! Bars and nightclubs naturally followed to liven up the neighborhood.
Now a must-see destination—and despite the arrival of offices for major companies like MTV, Red Bull, Hema, and even Greenpeace—the neighborhood has managed to retain its bohemian authenticity against a post-apocalyptic backdrop.
Artists Spotted on the Streets of Amsterdam
Eduardo Kobra / Stinkfish / Bart & Zasv (x2) / Karski and Beyond / Dotsy / Group exhibition at the Straat Museum / Jackie / Adry Del Rocio
See also
