HISTORY Buiksloterham is a polder in Amsterdam North
and 1993 respectively before moving to the West-
that was constructed from deposited dredge
ern Harbour District.
material from other parts of Amsterdam (Bestemmingsplan Buiksloterham, 2009). Once
Buiksloterham, as most of North, originally did
a part of the IJ (‘Den Ham’), the dredged mate-
not belong to the municipality of Amsterdam.
rials slowly filled up the water. In 1886 the area
North was comprised of smaller municipalities
was officially dammed and became Buiksloter-
like Landsmeer, Niewendam and Buiksloot – Bui-
ham. For several years after the origination of
ksloterham belonged to the latter. It was only
the polder, it was used for light farm activities.
after the construction of the North Sea Canal
Around 40 farms were located in the area rais-
that disputes around land rights were settled
ing livestock and producing grain and potatoes.
and Buiksloterham became part of the Municipality of Amsterdam.
Major industrial activities did not emerge until around the start of the 20th century. An absence
Around World War One, the municipality com-
of rail and road infrastructure and a close con-
menced with the construction of municipal hous-
nection with the IJ facilitated a growth in mainly
ing for industrial workers migrating to the city
water-based industries. New ports and water-
from the hinterlands. This led to the construction
ways were constructed to accommodate the
of the neighborhoods Disteldorp (1918), Aster-
industrial activities. Examples of early industries
dorp (1926) and Tuindorp (1927). For most of the
located in Buiksloterham were the Bataafsche
20th century, Buiksloterham has remained an
Petroleum Maatschappij (former Royal Dutch
industrial site. In the eighties, the municipality
Shell) and Fokker Aviation industry. In 1918 two
started reconsidering the function and zoning
municipal utilities – the waste incineration plant
of Buiksloterham. Over the past two decades,
and the municipal power plant – moved to Bui-
industries have slowly moved away or were
ksloterham and would remain active until 1982
actively relocated, resulting in the Buiksloter-
1660
Waterlandse zeedijk (Buiksloterdijk)
1900 from the 1900’s waterrelated industries
polluted dredge from the centre
Buiksloterham 1660 Buiksloterham 1900 Large-scale waterrelated industry. Transport of raw materials and products went largely over the water. Roads were limited and where often dead ends by a lack of bridges.
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Circular Buiksloterham • Transitioning Amsterdam to a Circular City