Memoirs of a polder
Polderhuisje (Polder House)
The Pipe district is famous for its long and narrow streets that resemble factory pipes, and are densely packed in houses. This urban project was realised by Samuel Sarphati. Apart from being a committed doctor, Sarphati was also an inspired city planner. He embarked on an architectural project to meet the needs of accommodating the rapidly expanding working class population in 19th century Amsterdam. Yet, few people know that before the construction of the Pipe the area was, in fact, a rural polder. In 1865, when this polder house was built, there were lush green gardens, luxurious country mansions and farms all over.These once peaceful green lands are long gone.The mills, the inns and the polder houses have all been demolished and replaced by cheaply built five and six-storey buildings. This polder house is a nostalgic reminder of a once rural Amsterdam.
As seen on
Factories and the Rise of the Working Class