Spaarndammerbuurt

From working-class neighbourhood to popular neighbourhood

The Spaarndammerbuurt is undergoing a major transformation, partly due to expensive new construction in the nearby Houthavens district. There used to be a lot of poverty and there were many neglected houses that were in serious disrepair. Many houses have now been redeveloped.

The Spaarndammerbuurt used to be a friendly Amsterdam working-class neighbourhood with its own character, which felt like a village. Its inhabitants worked in the nearby wood harbours of Amsterdam.

Due to gentrification, the Spaarndammerstraat, its main street, now boasts many new shops, cafés, terraces: a vegan restaurant, several pizza restaurants, wine bar (Rayleigh & Ramsay), cocktail bar (Rum Barrel), trendy eetcafé (Walvis), Mediterranean restaurant (Freud), a flower shop, a bread shop, etc.

Amsterdam School architecture

The Spaarndammerbuurt neighbourhood has many beautiful social housing buildings from the early 20th century that are built in the style of the Amsterdam School of Expressionist architecture.

The area is truly astounding: on a truly impossible triangular lot, architect Michel de Klerk (1884-1923) moulded the most bizarre shapes into an unforgettable and world-famous unit. While the construction was highly controversial, the block was put up in all its ex-centricity.

The post office built in the tip of Het Schip was designed as such by De Klerk. In addition to designing the gables, De Klerk planned the interior of the post office, including the stained glass and the clock on the wall. The care with which the post office was restored enables us to admire De Klerk's only fully preserved interior design in all its glory.

At Museum Het Schip you can learn more about the history of social housing and the Amsterdam School movement.