The verdant space of the former Westergasfabriek gasworks along Haarlemmerweg has become a place for cultural avant-garde businesses and events.

Up until the early seventeenth century, the Haarlemmerdijk (also called Spaarndammerdijk) constitutes the only connection between Haarlem and Amsterdam.

[4]The experience, however, is short-lived: in 1869, the park is eliminated to make way for the railroads and canals,[5] most notably the Westerkanaal that connects the Singelgracht and the Haarlemmertrekvaart to the IJ.

In October 1866, city engineer Jacob van Niftrik submitted his expansion plan for Amsterdam to the alderman for Public Works.

[12]The reconversion process, however, proves complex: the site is heavily contaminated with chemicals, including tar, lead, and cyanide.

[10] After the closing of the factory, the city council considers several options, including using the space as a tram depot and widening the Haarlemmerweg.

[13] While the city initially considers scrapping the remaining brownfield buildings to make space for the park, it decides in the early 90s to adopt a creative master plan prepared by American landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson.

Gustafson proposes to integrate these buildings and reuse them as cultural centres or cafés, along with elements of rural polders, wetland and pools.

The historic buildings have been renovated and are now hosting cafés, bars, offices, a cinema and venues for markets and cultural events.

The finest of them date from the early days of the gasworks and were designed by the master builder Isaac Gosschalk.

Others are less striking for their architectural beauty – although the cast-ironwork in the interior of the Gasholder is unique – but equally form part of an industrial heritage which makes the Westergasfabriek special.

Ascending arched corbel courses and narrow high windows make the front look slightly Romanesque.

Originally situated on the Zijkanaal in Amsterdam-Noord, it was moved to its current location in 1956 to serve as an access bridge to the site of the Westergasfabriek.