Urban Commoning and Architectural Situated Knowledge: The Architects’ Role in the Transformation of the NDSM Ship Wharf, Amsterdam

Abstract

This article discusses the collaborative processes behind the redevelopment of the Dutch state heritage ship wharf NDSM in Amsterdam as a case of urban commoning that took place around the year 2000–before the term became commonly used in urban studies. It explores how the former shipwharf was transformed into an “incubator”: a creative hub with artist studios, theater spaces, a skate park and other facilities for cultural production. In this article, we specifically investigate the role of architects in this context. Unfolding the process reveals the emergence of the figure of the participant-architect who participates in the shared authorship, within a collective situated knowledge. This knowledge is simultaneously produced in the place and productive of the place.