Pakhuis de Zwijger is a unique cultural organisation which opened its doors in 2006 and has grown to be an independent platform for and by the city of Amsterdam and its inhabitants.

Pakhuis de Zwijger pand

Pakhuis de Zwijger celebrates its tenth birthday. It started with a dream, sprung from Cultuurfabriek and the directorship of Over het IJ Festival almost 20 years ago, which became reality in 2006 at the southern part of the IJ-bank – at that time a bare plain with old warehouses far away from the city centre. A major challenge to start a successful cultural enterprise, to say the least. Transformed by architect André van Stigt, today the former refrigerated warehouse functions as a debate centre of the 21st century, putting dialogue before debate and connection before opposition. It stimulates collaboration towards a livable city, puts urgent matters on the agenda, linking them to the creative industry. It is about integrating, connecting domains and disciplines, sharing knowledge and experiences, and designing and imagineering the future of everyday living.

With an amazing team of coworkers, we keep the building buzzing and created countless special projects, design sessions, presentations, movie screenings and talkshows – from tens a year in the beginning to over 600 in 2016, gathering a community close to 100,000 members following us live and online. As an internationally operating platform for the city in transition we do research, develop online platforms, set up meetings and organise challenges, City Expeditions, and think tanks together with some two hundred partners while building local, national and international networks of City Makers and City Embassies. We welcome everyone regardless of age, sex, race or cultural background. At the same time, it represents the bottom-up vanguard: people with guts and perseverance, contributing actively to societal issues in the city, inspiring and activating people and communities and putting the collective interest.

The past year was one lled with highlights: we were cultural intendants of the EU 2016 Arts and Design programme Europe by People, creating FabCity at the head of Java-eiland, we organised the rst City Makers Summit and presented the (Im)Pact of Amsterdam – as a call to action to the EU minister council as part of the Urban Agenda for the EU. We played a de ning role in Amsterdam winning the EU Innovation Capital Award 2016-2017, together with the City of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Economic Board, Waag Society and Kennisland. Last but not least we made an impact at the UN Habitat III Conference in Quito, Ecuador, where the worldwide New Urban Agenda was established and Pakhuis de Zwijger together with local City Makers set up Fabrica Ciudad, our new City Embassy in Quito.

In the next few years, we will focus on the question: Who owns the city? Can we rethink the Amsterdam values? Will Amsterdam become a real inclusive city? Are we able to connect neighbourhoods to necessary innovations and can makers also make the difference in urgent urban challenges? Will we all profit from the economic growth in the metropolitan region? Are we able to turn our old economy into a new green and circular one? Can we make sure our children will grow up in a livable, sustainable and self-su cient city with equal opportunities for everyone?

In 2017, we will – in collaboration with our city partners – continue our daily programmes and organise new activities that will address these matters. For example, the challenge Make your City! (a spin-o of the EU Innovation Capital Award), the educational programme for primary school students Mijn Amsterdam, and the project Maakplaats 021 at several locations of the Public Library Amsterdam. Projects with a focus on 21st century skills, digital making, and city-making where young people can grow into the creators of our future city.

Aankomende programma’s
John Adams Institute Presents
Jennifer Carlson: Democracy by Bullet?
An evening with Professor Jennifer Carlson about her new book Merchants of the Right: Gun Sellers and the Crisis of American Democracy.
Vandaag, 20.00
Koop kaarten
Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten presenteert
Easter School: Re-Membering Nieuw-West
Doe mee aan dit gezamenlijke onderzoek naar vraagstukken rondom gentrificatie, segregatie, racisme en herinnering in Amsterdam Nieuw-West.
29 mrt 2024 - 31 mrt 2024
Reserveer
Café 749 2
Ruimte om jezelf te zijn
Hoe creëren we een stad waar er echt ruimte is om jezelf te zijn? Een avondvullend programma in aanloop naar de 750e verjaardag van Amsterdam.
Morgen, 20.00
Reserveer
Fifth Friday Sisterhood presents 3
Creed: Revolution, Resistance, Rights
As the landscape of identity politics all around us is changing each and every day, come and enjoy some stories of revolution, resistance, and rights.
Morgen, 20.00
Reserveer
Special
Stop the ongoing Genocide in Congo
Escalating tensions in Kivu, the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, draws global attention for the security crisis in Africa's mineral rich region.
Morgen, 20.00
Reserveer
Justice for Palestine 9
Israelism
Documentary screening about the relationship between Israel and new generation of American Jews and their struggle to redefine it. Afterwards a Q&A w/ the filmmakers and guests.
Morgen, 20.00
Reserveer
Special
Buurtinitiatieven op de tocht
Hoe zorgen we ervoor dat buurtinitiatieven - zoals de Fixbrigade - niet ten onder gaan aan aanbestedingsregels?
di 2 apr, 19.30
Reserveer
What Design Can Do x PDZ 1
Redesign Everything Talks
A new circular design event series with What Design Can Do.
di 2 apr, 20.00
Reserveer
Clay workshop 5
Mud Break
Clay workshop with visual artist Esra Sakir using clay from Amsterdam's Lutkemeerpolder: explore the relationship between the city and nature.
wo 3 apr, 19.00
Volgeboekt
Economie van morgen 10
Wet betaalbare huur: doelmatig of denkfout?
De woonbeweging lijkt voorstander van deze wet, terwijl economen waarschuwen dat er een denkfout wordt gemaakt. Tijd voor een gesprek.
wo 3 apr, 19.30
Reserveer
Architecture Now - Amsterdamse Architectuurprijs 2024 1
Duurzaam werken in de stad
Drie kantoorgebouwen met verschillende opvattingen over duurzaamheid. Hoe ziet groene architectuur er uit bij de Amsterdamse kantoren van nu?
do 4 apr, 19.30
Reserveer
Kringwijs presenteert: training voor buurtbewoners 1
Iemand Erbij
Leer hoe je het best kunt handelen in een crisissituatie met uiteenlopende problematiek.
vr 5 apr, 09.30
Amsterdamse Iconen 14
Cees Holtkamp
Een uur lang in gesprek met banketbakker en oprichter van Patisserie Holtkamp, over zijn leven, werk en liefde voor Amsterdam.
vr 5 apr, 20.00
Reserveer
Justice for Palestine 10
Israël: een koloniaal project
De media heeft 7 oktober genomen als vertrekpunt voor Israel's recht op 'zelfverdediging', maar hoe zit dit als we kolonialisme meenemen?
vr 5 apr, 20.00
Reserveer
Jong Amsterdam 28
De Straat Spreekt
Hét magazine door jongeren over de straat. Weet jij wat er speelt?
za 6 apr, 15.00
Reserveer
Architectenweb x PdZ
Renovatie van sociale woningbouw
Hoe kan de bestaande bebouwing worden verduurzaamd en beter worden ingedeeld, en hoe kan de woonkwaliteit hiervan een impuls krijgen?
ma 8 apr, 13.30
Reserveer
Groene Transitie 37
Het grote VN klimaatsimulatie spel
Kan jij het perspectief van boeren, klimaatactivisten, industrie en politiek en op één lijn krijgen in dit interactieve simulatiespel?
ma 8 apr, 19.30
Reserveer
Book Launch & Book Swap
In/formal Marketplaces
From Essentials to Experiences: The Transformation of City Markets.
ma 8 apr, 20.00
Reserveer
nai010 x PDZ
Paradijs van imperfectie
Een gesprek over architectuur in relatie tot actuele maatschappelijke thema’s
di 9 apr, 20.00
Reserveer
Special
CogniTalks
Let the countdown begin to one of our most anticipated evenings of the year: CogniTalks - a TED Talk spin-off but make it neuroscience!
di 9 apr, 20.00
Reserveer
In de spotlight