Freeport Amsterdam
Amsterdam biennale 2009
Freeport Amsterdam makes use of the vast amount of temporarily vacant space in the western harbour area as an experimental breeding ground for the city’s underground. Precisely the nuisance contours that rule out housing — such as noise and smell — create ideal conditions for other, essential urban forms of use. (see video above)
The Port of Amsterdam opens up its massively underused temporary free space to subcultural initiatives in disused warehouses, halls, offices, harbour basins, boats, and sites. A mysterious UFO fleet of old, for-now purposeless oil rigs hovers above the harbour and acts as a movable generator for the new Freeport, just behind the city centre and Westerpark.
A wide range of subcultural initiatives from Amsterdam will make use of temporarily available space in the harbour. In these voids of the industrial landscape, the usual restrictions around noise, smell, height and nuisance do not apply. Like a white cloud, this rule-free zone hovers above the harbour area and invites radical experiments.
Data:
Research and art installation: RAAAF | Atelier de Lyon
Location: Amsterdam Biennale 2009, Tolhuistuin
Team: Ronald Rietveld, Erik Rietveld, Arna Mačkić, Erick de Lyon
Video Freeport Amsterdam: Kasper Jacobs i.c.w. RAAAF
