Poortgebouw
Encyclopedia
The Poortgebouw is a national monument located by the River Maas in the Kop van Zuid
area of Rotterdam
, in the Netherlands. It was built in 1879 and experienced a range of uses until it was squatted October 3, 1980. It had been standing empty for 2 years and was squatted as a protest intended to highlight the lack of affordable residential housing in Rotterdam.
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When the Poortgebouw was squatted, the intention was to use the building as living space and a youth centre. After much negotiation with the city council, it was agreed in 1982
that the squatters could stay as a housing association (the Vereniging Poortgebouw). They would pay a low rent and undertook to maintain the inside of the building.
The first rent contract was signed in May 1984.
The Poortgebouw became home to a group of international artists, musicians and activists. Many grassroots
, not-for-profit activities were held or planned at the Poortgebouw. It was used for music concerts (punk
, ska
, rock
, acoustic
), comedy
nights, spoken word
events, discussions and film nights.
There are regular open days, and also the Poortgebouw hosts occasional free concerts, discussions and film nights. Since July 2008 there is an infoshop called the Autonomous Library, which is open during the cafe and other events.
Since October 2004, the Vereniging Poortgebouw has been fighting in court the decision by de Groene Groep to cancel the rental contract, evict the tenants and renovate the Poortgebouw for office space. On February 17, 2006 the Rotterdam Court of Justice gave the verdict that the rental contract is ended and no alternative housing should be offered. The judge agreed with de Groene Groep that the only means to renovate the Poortgebouw building would be by redeveloping it as office space, supporting the contention of the developers that the outside of the building needs much work. The Vereniging Poortgebouw had argued that this work was needed because both Woning Bedrijf Rotterdam and de Groene Groep had neglected their contractual obligations to ensure the outside of the building was in a good condition. The Vereniging Poortgebouw has appealed this decision at a higher court in Den Haag and the judgement will be made in March 2009.
Kop van Zuid
Kop van Zuid is a new neighborhood of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, located on the south bank of the Nieuwe Maas opposite the center of town. The district is relatively young and includes the Wilhelmina Pier and the V bounded by Rose Street / railway line between themselves and the...
area of Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, in the Netherlands. It was built in 1879 and experienced a range of uses until it was squatted October 3, 1980. It had been standing empty for 2 years and was squatted as a protest intended to highlight the lack of affordable residential housing in Rotterdam.
History
The Poortgebouw was originally planned as one of two identical buildings separated by water and guarding the narrow entrance to the Binnenhaven, part of the original port of Rotterdam. It was intended to be the administrative headquarters of Rotterdamsche Handelsvereniging, but when the owner went bankrupt and fled to the United States of America the second building was not built. Later a smaller version was constructed, only to be demolished in 1937.When the Poortgebouw was squatted, the intention was to use the building as living space and a youth centre. After much negotiation with the city council, it was agreed in 1982
that the squatters could stay as a housing association (the Vereniging Poortgebouw). They would pay a low rent and undertook to maintain the inside of the building.
The first rent contract was signed in May 1984.
The Poortgebouw became home to a group of international artists, musicians and activists. Many grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
, not-for-profit activities were held or planned at the Poortgebouw. It was used for music concerts (punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
), comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
nights, spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
events, discussions and film nights.
Activities
Currently (2010) the Poortgebouw has a "Éétcafé" every Sunday evening (not in August) with vegetarian and sometimes vegan food. There are a free shop and a voko selling organic food at wholesale prices both of which are open to the public during the cafe from 18:00 - 21:00.There are regular open days, and also the Poortgebouw hosts occasional free concerts, discussions and film nights. Since July 2008 there is an infoshop called the Autonomous Library, which is open during the cafe and other events.
Recent problems
In July 2001 the Poortgebouw was sold by Woning Bedrijf Rotterdam (WBR), a semi-privatized company maintaining council-owned buildings, to de Groene Groep, a development company. The building was sold for 350,000 euro, which is approximately the price of a large single-family home. It was sold without the consultation of the Vereniging Poortgebouw (the Poortgebouw housing association).Since October 2004, the Vereniging Poortgebouw has been fighting in court the decision by de Groene Groep to cancel the rental contract, evict the tenants and renovate the Poortgebouw for office space. On February 17, 2006 the Rotterdam Court of Justice gave the verdict that the rental contract is ended and no alternative housing should be offered. The judge agreed with de Groene Groep that the only means to renovate the Poortgebouw building would be by redeveloping it as office space, supporting the contention of the developers that the outside of the building needs much work. The Vereniging Poortgebouw had argued that this work was needed because both Woning Bedrijf Rotterdam and de Groene Groep had neglected their contractual obligations to ensure the outside of the building was in a good condition. The Vereniging Poortgebouw has appealed this decision at a higher court in Den Haag and the judgement will be made in March 2009.