Amsterdamse Architectuurnacht
After last year's success, Friday, June 13, 2025 the second Architecture Night in Amsterdam will take place. Get your weekend off to a good start with a lecture by Maaike van Leuken (De Nederlandsche Bank) and Francine Houben (Mecanoo), a bike tour followed by drinks and an architecture game.
Commissioned by the Nederlandsche Bank, Duintjer's bank building 'transformed from a closed bastion to a publicly accessible building'. In March, the Nederlandsche Bank opened its doors to the public, a great opportunity to delve deeper into this during the second Amsterdam Architecture Night.
After the lecture in the auditorium of the Nederlandsche Bank, we split into groups. You can choose from three bike tours along extraordinary architecture, themed around the Amsterdam School (Museum Het Schip), Reconstruction Architecture (Van Eesteren Museum) or Contemporary Architecture (Arcam).
After the bike ride, the evening will end festively with a drink and an architectural game.
Program
- 18.00 Walk-in to De Nederlandsche Bank
- 18.30 Start of lecture + panel discussion with Maaike van Leuken (De Nederlandsche Bank), Francine Houben (Mecanoo) led by Charlotte Thomas (De Architect)
- 19:30 Individual routes
- 21.30 Drinks + game at the end location
Please note: During the Architecture Night on Friday, June 14, there is no possibility to tour the DNB building. However, during the Open Tower Day on Saturday, June 15, the DNB tower can be visited free of charge. See more info on the Open Tower Day website.
Practical info
Date: Friday, June 13, 2025
Times and locations:
18:30 start of the lecture, walk-in from 18:00.
Location: De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) auditorium, Frederiksplein 61, 1017 XL Amsterdam
7.30 pm start of bike tours from DNB
21.30 drinks and architecture game
Transportation: Come with your own (OV) bike!
Tickets: € 10.- regular | €5, - Student and CJP
When purchasing, choose the Amsterdam School, Reconstruction Architecture or Contemporary Architecture route.
Please note! Places are limited.
Routes
Route 1: Amsterdam School (Museum Het Schip)
During the 'Amsterdam School' bike ride, we dive into H.P. Berlage's iconic Plan Zuid. Here we find some of the best examples of the Amsterdam School — the expressionist architecture and art movement full of ideals, fantasy and craftsmanship. Accompanied by an enthusiastic guide, we not only discover the famous highlights, but also hidden gems.
Route 2: Reconstruction Architecture Cycle Route (Van Eesteren Museum)
During the Van Eesteren Museum bike ride, we discover the gems of the reconstruction period around De Nederlandsche Bank. When we step outside, we are immediately confronted with André Volten's “snag pole”. And when you look up, you'll discover architect Arthur Staal's small architectural detail. We continue the tour from modernist buildings in the canal belt to brutalism in De Pijp. Ride along and discover not only the architecture from the reconstruction, but also a number of extraordinary works of art in public spaces and the stories of the eccentric birds of paradise that gave color to the neighborhood in the years that followed.
Route 3: Contemporary Architecture Cycle Route (Arcam)
After Francine Houben's lecture at De Nederlandsche Bank, we invite you to explore the immediate vicinity of Frederiksplein on foot. Here, historic buildings and contemporary architecture go hand in a natural way. In this neighborhood, modern architecture mainly takes shape through transformation, redevelopment and small-scale expansion. Think of Arthur Staal's former office building from 1967, which was recently transformed by Office Winhov. Or at Frederiksplein 42, an early example of modernist construction by Piet Zanstra, now under redevelopment. At number 51, a classic façade features luxury apartments that seamlessly blend old and new. A short distance away, at Sarphatistraat 3, was once home to the De Nederlandsche Bank visitor center, designed by INBO. The building has now been sold — a modest but significant part of the continuous change in this part of the city. This walk shows how Frederiksplein continues to develop, with respect for what was there and an eye for what is to come.
