Steel, Stone and Voices
Stories from the Industrial Heritage
of Amsterdam North
2025 / exhibition - book - art walk
Long before Amsterdam-Noord became a hub for creativity and culture, the rhythm of machines and voices on the factory floor filled the air. Life revolved around factory sirens, dirty hands, and a strong sense of solidarity. In the shipyards, chemical plants and cable industry, thousands of residents of the North worked — men and women whose craftsmanship quite literally helped build the city.
Ruud / carpenter at NDSM Shipwharf
What did working-class life look like in the past? What impact did heavy industry have on later generations in Amsterdam North? In the triptych Steel, Stone and Voices (exhibition, art route and book), Anna Rottier and Esther Sarphatie bring the industrial history of the district to life.
Amsterdam North has a rich and layered past. Today it is known as a hotspot for artists and young urban residents, yet its history is shaped by hard work, struggle and change. Steel, Stone and Voices uncovers these stories — from the big companies Draka, Shell and the shipyard of NDSM Wharf to the small Municipal Bathhouse in Vogeldorp
Peter / mechanic at Kromhout
Ans / secretary at NDSM Shipwharf
Marten / technical service at GVB
Johan / warehouse seller at Draka
Marrie / secretary at Draka