The economic crisis is a depressing but not a new phenomenon. Time has taught us recessions are not only periods of mass firing and budget cuts, but also of creative solutions to existing problems.

Take the old NDSM wharf for instance: closed down in 1984 when the shipbuilding industry was no longer profitable, the NDSM area is now, after years of wasting away, one of the most important breeding grounds for artistic pursuits and creative companies.

With its rugged, industrial look and oodles of open space, the NDSM feels worlds away from the historical hodgepodge of Amsterdam’s city center. Because of its size, the wharf has developed into an enduring festival location. Other activities include a skate park and big (electro) parties in one of the hangars. Also, the wharf is the place were club-on-a-boat Stubnitz moors every year.