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
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Talk
Race and Caste
Understanding injustice through the lens of the caste system: exploring how identity, culture and economy relate to caste and racism.
Vandaag, 17.00
Reserveer
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Performance
Decolonise and Unite!
Our stories and our voices translated in spoken word, rap and dance.
Vandaag, 20.00
Reserveer
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Talk
Recognising and Including Indigenous Knowledge
How can the recognition and integration of Indigenous perspectives strengthen today’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives?
Vandaag, 20.00
Reserveer
Queercity
Decolonising: The idea of Race
What is the impact of racism and colourism within the queer and trans community?
Vandaag, 20.00
Reserveer
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 workshop
Poetic Resistance
Vanuit persoonlijke pijn naar collectief verzet door dans, tekst en muziek.
Morgen, 17.00
Reserveer
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Talk
Bamboo Ceiling
Het 'bamboe plafond' is een vorm van anti-Aziatisch racisme. Weet jij wat een bamboo ceiling is en herken jij dit in je omgeving?
Morgen, 20.00
Reserveer
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Talk
Rastronan: Aruba’s koloniale sporen
Hoe Arubaans verzet gedurende de slavernij inspireert tot heling via kunst.
Morgen, 20.00
Reserveer
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Performance
De Erfenis van Zwijgen
Javaanse Surinamers breken het stilzwijgen over Contractarbeid
Morgen, 20.00
Volgeboekt
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Workshop
Dance as Resistance
Let's dance in resistance against racism and exclusion. Move along in solidarity!
Morgen, 20.00
Reserveer
Special
Van kopzorg naar topzorg
De vermenselijking van bouwen voor de zorg.
Morgen, 20.00
Reserveer
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Workshop
Decolonial Manifesto: demands for reparation
Building a movement together with demands for reparations of colonial damage towards the Global South.
do 21 mrt, 17.30
Reserveer
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Interactive Exposition
Guess Who? Asian Edition
Sta stil bij je vooroordelen over Aziaten.
do 21 mrt, 19.00
Week Tegen Racisme 2024 Festival
Festival Week Tegen Racisme: Spreek je uit!
Festival met talks, workshops, expositie en een afsluitend concert van de band Opo Strey.
do 21 mrt, 20.00
Reserveer
Kringwijs presenteert: training voor buurtbewoners 3
Iemand Erbij
Leer hoe je het best kunt handelen in een crisissituatie met uiteenlopende problematiek.
vr 22 mrt, 09.30
Doevendansen met Nieuw-West 7
Wereldwaterdag
Maandelijks gesprek tussen stadsdeelbestuurder Sandra Doevendans en bewoners over thema’s die spelen in Nieuw-West. 
vr 22 mrt, 19.00
Reserveer
Designing Cities for All: RE-generation 22
Designer by Default
Exploring neurodiversity in design and the theory of 'designer by default'.
vr 22 mrt, 20.00
Reserveer
CLAY WORKSHOP
Mud Break: Collecting the Clay of Amsterdam
Take a 'mud break' and join this collective gathering of clay from Amsterdam's Lutkemeerpolder, together with visual artist Esra Sakir.
zo 24 mrt, 13.00
Reserveer
Digital Rights Talk & Diner
Gendergelijkheid en de online leefomgeving
Hoe waarborgen we een veilige digitale leefomgeving voor vrouwen?
ma 25 mrt, 19.00
Reserveer
Designing Cities for All: RE-generation 21
The Sanctuary
Beings of the Economy w/ Shinta Oosterwaal #3: How can we rewrite the story of our economy to revive lost ethics and values?
ma 25 mrt, 20.00
Reserveer
Gebiedsontwikkeling 56
Van station naar stadshart
Hoe verander je een stationsgebied tot een bruisend 'nieuw' stadshart?
ma 25 mrt, 20.00
Reserveer
In de spotlight