14 August 2025 | Photo: dronescenario.nl
Locals question whether modern nightlife can coexist with fragile heritage
Plans for a new nightclub in Amsterdam have become the focus of a heated debate, as campaigners push to safeguard historic buildings from both nightlife and residential development across the Netherlands.
Non-profit organisation Institute for Night Culture (INC) submitted its proposal in October 2024, aiming to transform Halvemaansteeg – also known as Half Moon Alley – into a multi-level venue combining a nightclub, café and apartments.
As reported by The Guardian, the INC project has secured €50,000 in funding from city officials, who hope it will revitalise an area neighbouring Amsterdam’s notorious Red Light District. The blueprint outlines a “26-metre high building with three rooms to house 650 people and 1,000 square metres of freedom and fun.”
The country’s Council of State has given the scheme the green light, despite objections from residents concerned about potential damage to surrounding buildings. Architecture historian and secretary of the Friends of Amsterdam City Centre (VVAB), Walther Schoonenberg, told The Guardian that the biggest worry stems from planned construction work in the development’s basement – an especially sensitive issue in a city where subsidence regularly troubles homeowners.
“Very little is known about the state of the foundations and every time digging starts, it turns out they are in poor condition,” he says. “There are a number of risks, but the Council of State has set them aside.”
INC, however, maintains that its chosen approach for basement construction has been “successfully used in recent years in other projects in the historic centre of Amsterdam”.
An INC spokesperson told The Guardian: “External experts have confirmed in a second opinion that with the proposed construction method, potential risks can be managed well.”
Via: Mixmag
