Stadswerf Oostenburg

Where Amsterdam set sail to meet the world

For centuries, Oostenburg was the beating heart of Amsterdam’s shipbuilding industry. From the seventeenth century onwards, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) built its ships here, and the island housed the imposing Oost-Indisch Zeemagazijn (East India Marine Warehouse). A structure over two hundred meters long used to store spices, porcelain, ship components, and other goods from across the globe. After the warehouse collapsed in 1822, maritime operations gave way to the machinery industry, driven by companies such as Werkspoor and later Stork. Today, Oostenburg has embarked on a new chapter. Together with Ronald Janssen Architecten and Bastiaan Jongerius Architecten, we designed Stadswerf Oostenburg: a contemporary urban district where the industrial past remains palpable. Nestled between the Van Gendt Halls, the INIT building, and the Oostenburgervaart canal, a lively neighborhood has emerged, comprising around 450 homes, workspaces, hospitality venues, and public spaces along the water.

The yard reimagined

The island’s history serves as the starting point for the design. The public realm is conceived as a single, robust shipyard floor where street and sidewalk merge seamlessly, and where cars are merely guests. Parking is tucked away out of sight, giving pedestrians and cyclists plenty of space. The green inner courtyard offers a sheltered spot for residents, contrasting with the rugged character of the quays and streets. New waterfront squares and a bicycle and pedestrian bridge to Czaar Peterstraat connect the neighborhood to the rest of the city.

A mixed neighborhood

Stadswerf Oostenburg accommodates a wide mix of residents. The plan comprises sustainable social housing, mid-market rentals, private-sector rentals, and owner-occupied homes, complemented by approximately 3,000 m² of office space, business premises, studios, and shops. Hospitality venues along Oostenburgermiddenstraat create lively street frontages, allowing living, working, and social interaction to blend naturally.

Architecture rooted in history

The architecture aligns with Oostenburg’s industrial DNA. Contrasting buildings of varying widths and heights give the neighborhood a distinctive Amsterdam urban grain, while robust materials such as brick, concrete, steel, and wood ensure visual cohesion. Taller building volumes along Oostenburgermiddenstraat mark the urban axis, whereas the structures along the quays are smaller in scale and establish a direct connection to the water. Green roofs, spacious roof terraces, and energy-generating roofs integrate the roofscape into the project's sustainability ambitions. The result is a new urban district that does not merely copy Oostenburg’s history but carries it forward in a contemporary way.