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
Kringwijs presenteert: training voor buurtbewoners 3
Iemand Erbij
Leer hoe je het best kunt handelen in een crisissituatie met uiteenlopende problematiek.
Vandaag, 09.30
Schaaktoernooi 3
Het Pakhuis Open
Niet zwijgen, maar schaken. Doe mee aan het Pakhuis Open.
Vandaag, 18.30
Koop kaarten
Justice for Palestine 32
The Encampments: A Solidarity Screening Night
What does resistance look like in the face of repression? Film screening and panel session on the student movement for Palestine in the U.S. and The Netherlands.
Vandaag, 20.00
Reserveer
New Metropolis Nieuw-West
Stadslandbouw in Nieuw-West
Een fietstocht langs Stadslandbouw in ons stadsdeel.
zo 25 mei, 13.00
Reserveer
Systemisch Co-Design in actie
ESConferentie ‘ESC Unboxed’
Wat zit er in jouw gereedschapskist voor systeemverandering?
ma 26 mei, 09.00
Reserveer
World Without Borders 7
Het asielbeleid is kommer en kwel, maar er is tegenspel!
Vrouwen Tegen Uitzetting (VTU) organiseert een informatieavond over wat er zoal gebeurt om vluchtelingen te steunen en gaatjes te prikken in het anti-migratiebeleid.
ma 26 mei, 19.00
Reserveer
Wonen voor iedereen
Grip op onbegrepen gedrag
Hoe kunnen woningcorporaties omgaan met onbegrepen of verward gedrag?
ma 26 mei, 19.30
Reserveer
Unwanted Words Project presents:
Queer Poetry Night
Join us for the next edition of this open mic night!
di 27 mei, 19.00
Reserveer
Samen Tegen Racisme
Het falen rond Maccabi
Een oproep tot herstel na institutioneel racisme en bestuurlijk falen rond geweld tegen Amsterdammers.
di 27 mei, 19.30
Reserveer
AAN TAFEL X PDZ 2
Europa: gebonden in vrijheid?
Hermen Vreugdenhil en Hanneke van Ormondt aan tafel over de afwegingen tussen voedselzekerheid voedselveiligheid.
di 27 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
FIFTH FRIDAY SISTERHOOD presents 6
Friends
A storytelling evening on friendship.
wo 28 mei, 19.00
Reserveer
Between the Sun, Wind and Waves 6
6 ISLANDS ZINE – 4th ISSUE LAUNCH
We present the 4th edition of the 6 ISLANDS zine: Myths, Myth-Making & Mythological Imaginations. Exploring Caribbean myths.
wo 28 mei, 19.00
Reserveer
Gebiedsontwikkeling 66
Ruimte voor rechtvaardigheid
Hoe ontwerp je een ‘rechtvaardige’ fysieke leefomgeving?
wo 28 mei, 19.30
Reserveer
Tipping points 7
Uit de lucht
Een broodnodige crash course over kantelpunten. Deze laatste aflevering: extreem weer. Kunnen we nog iets doen tegen extreem weer?
wo 28 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
Boekpresentatie & nagesprek 16
Sommige mensen zijn te rijk
Hoe ziet herverdeling eruit in een wereld waarin mensen als gelijken samenleven?
wo 28 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
New Metropolis Nieuw-West
Natuurwandeling door de Sloterpark
Een natuurwandeling langs de noordoever van de Sloterplas.
za 31 mei, 10.00
Reserveer
Het Groene Filmfestival 1
Land voor het leven @ Stadsboerderij Osdorp
Een initiatief van De Groene Stelling: Hoe ziet de toekomst eruit met regeneratieve landbouw? In gesprek over stad en platteland bij Stadsboerderij Osdorp.
ma 2 jun, 19.30
Reserveer
Boekpresentatie & nagesprek
Captured Futures
Het is tijd om toe te geven dat de milieupolitiek zoals we die kennen niet zal leveren. Welke rol moeten we spelen om de toekomst te herschrijven?
di 3 jun, 19.30
Reserveer
It's All Graphic 13
Reshaping language from distinct perspectives
An evening on the conditions surrounding typographic reproduction through lenses of otherness.
di 3 jun, 20.00
Reserveer
Het Groene Filmfestival 2
Onder het maaiveld @ Bijlmerbios
Een initiatief van De Groene Stelling: Wat leeft er onder onze voeten? In gesprek over bodem, stad en natuur bij de Bijlmerbios.
wo 4 jun, 19.30
Reserveer
In de spotlight