Architecture of AppropriationArchitecture of Appropriation

This typical 17th century Amsterdam-style house was neglected by its owner and squatted twice for long periods of time.

Wijde Heisteeg 7 is a small house in Amsterdam's historic center. Despite being listed as a national heritage site, it has been in a particularly poor condition for years. The owner's neglect of the building forced the original tenants to leave, and has created tensions with the city authorities and heritage preservation groups alike. These groups repeatedly lodged objections against planning applications by the owner, arguing that the heritage status of the building was not adequately considered. Their claims have prevented a full-blown renovation, and the conversion of the building into luxury apartments.

In an effort to counter its persistent vacancy, the building was squatted from 2007 until the 2011 enforcement of the squatting ban, and later again for almost the entire year of 2016. On both occasions the squatters carried out renovation work to prevent further deterioration, including repairing leaks and mending the roof structure. Coinciding with the most recent occupation, a group of collaborating squatters published the 2015 / 2016 Squatting Manual, prompting questions amongst both the city council and national parliament about the legality of circulating such documents. Meanwhile, the occupants of Wijde Heisteeg 7 were evicted in late 2016 and it has since been transformed into a pop-up store, while the upper floors remain empty.