Last Updated on February 16, 2021 by admin
Amsterdam is the best example of Sustainable development – whether it is using bicycles, constructing green buildings, having energy neutral institutions or simply upgrading an obsolete area into an artistic, usable and interesting area which is economically viable. I happened to visit NDSM wharf located in the north-west Amsterdam as a part of my Masters course in Green cities from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. Since this was for study course, we were given a private tour by one of the artists there and introduced to various sustainable practices they follow.
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About NDSM Wharf
At first sight this place looks littered with rustic metal, abandoned vehicles and graffiti relics of the industrial days which is the historical remainder of the largest shipyard in Amsterdam on the bank of IJ river which when closed 30 years ago gave space to a large void area. NDSM wharf stands for News Dock Activities Stories. You will come across dozens of boats and ships which are now being transformed into creative office spaces in the Kunststad (Art City), the largest breeding site in the Netherlands. There are happening places where you can eat, drink, party, attend an exhibition or live on luxury hotel at the river bank, enjoying the best view of Amsterdam.
NDSM wharf is reportedly one of the 3 most wanted development areas of Amsterdam and has been announced as a “model project of urban renewal in the Netherlands” since 2002 by the Ministries of Planning, Environment and Economy Affairs.
NDSM wharf may not feature as an offbeat destination in Amsterdam but it is one of the most sustainable places and a must-visit if you are a local or tourist in Amsterdam. With a range of activities possible here, you will not be disappointed to add it to your Amsterdam Bucketlist. You can also look at Sustainable Architecture in Rotterdam which is a day trip from Amsterdam.
Sustainable offices
NDSM wharf is a workplace for artists and they live like a close-knit community. They have turned the old boats into their offices using the locally available resources. Peek into these offices from the windows and I bet you cannot stop yourself from going in and seeing what they offer. The artist community meet up every few days to discuss issues and take solution. They come together to tend to nearby areas or garden, or deload the toilet or compost the poo!
Sustainable toilets
The water used to flush the toilet is rainwater filtered by the moss sedum bed on the roof. The sewage is transported to a helophyte filter system and a floating bamboo and reed garden which is transported through a pipeline outside the boat. Once purified, the water is pumped back into the boat closing the loop of sustainable toilet.
Composting
The poo from toilet is collected separately and composted in a designated area. These machines are manually rotated for aeration. Micro-organisms, disinfectants and anti odour powder is added to this for handling safety.
Accommodation from shipping containers
There is no lack of creativity when it comes to interesting yet sustainable accommodations in Amsterdam. Making accommodation inside a shipping container is one of them! The Wenckehof is turned into an affordable student accommodation from shipping containers. Initially, it was constructed for Amsterdam’s Salvation Army and for temporary workers but now is mainly a student complex.
The complex, which was constructed in 2006, has over thousands of container flats, divided into six blocks of five floors. Each container is roughly 28 metres squared.
Nobody knew that living in a shipping container would gain so much popularity. So much so that its success has intrigued architects all around the world. Even locally, a luxury hotel is made from a shipping container by restoring its old parts and adding new ones, creating a space that’s both luxurious and a little unorthodox. Known as the ‘Yay’s Crane Apartment‘, this is an interesting concept as the shipping container is suspended in the air via a crane.
Shipping warehouse for exhibition hall and office space
There is a massive exhibition space for events and festivals at Kunststad. It also offers 2 levels of office space that renters can modify to their needs at very cheap costs. Over 250 office spaces are present within this warehouse.
Hotels from Ships
An old boat has been converted into a 3-star hotel and named “botel”. This floating hotel is in the centre of Amsterdam on the river IJ, very near to NDSM Wharf. There are a total of 175-room, which was a former river cruise converted into a floating hotel. There is a complimentary ferry connection to the Central Station, from where there are direct connections to Schiphol International Airport.
NDSM wharf is very creatively transformed into an activity site using green development approaches and the community is completely involved in maintaining so!
Have only 24 hours in Amsterdam? Be sure to check this guide: Amsterdam in One day.
Have you been here already? If yes, how was your experience? If not, would you like to visit here? Tell me in the comments below.
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