The Parool, Feb. 11, 2011 by: Emma Boelhouwer

An old elderly home in the Kolenkit neighborhood has been converted into a guest house. A godsend in a neighborhood where large families are living small. 'Ideal when visitors come from Morocco.'
'Very good, very good.' A North African man nods approvingly during a tour by the artists' collective Cascoland of the guest house in one of the so-called Piggelmee houses in the Kolenkit neighborhood. ‘You guys are doing good for the neighborhood.’

The two-room, 34-square-meter apartment has received a lick of paint, three beds have been installed and the kitchen cabinets contain plates and cups. 'Very low budget though,' says Fiona de Bell of Cascoland. Starting Monday, the former elderly person's home at Piet Paaltjenspad 6 will serve as a place to sleep for five euros per person at a time for rent and a maximum of three nights in a row. 'As a fall-back option when family comes over.' 

And that's not an unnecessary luxury in a neighborhood where the bulk of the houses are not much bigger than this Piggelmee home and at the same time house large families. Cascoland touched down in the Kolenkit neighborhood in September. The collective operated a neighborhood restaurant, traded a snack for an idea, held consultation hours and built a winter garden with large mobile chicken coops on a piece of vacant land. Fiona de Bell: 'People told me they were annoyed with the piece of land that nothing was being done with and came up with stories about Moroccan farm life with chickens.' 

'Families are crammed into their houses, there is no room for visitors.' 

The Rochdale housing association's tiny homes were also discussed during the consultation hour. With the guest house, Cascoland wants to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood. Neighborhood resident Mohamed El Abdi is sure it will be busy. 'The Kolenkitbuurt is the poorest neighborhood in the Netherlands, there is a lack of everything. Families are crammed into their houses. One room for the parents and one for the children. When visitors come from Morocco or Turkey, the children have to fight for a place on the couch. Now that the demolition and renovation of the houses in the neighborhood has been postponed, this is a great initiative to still help people out. 

El Abdi and his wife themselves do not need to use the house; they have come by to offer their help. Cascoland gratefully accepts that offer. De Bell: ‘We set it up, but the neighborhood has to take over.’
El Abdi: ‘I first came here when I came to the Netherlands in 1992 and I have something with the Kolenkitbuurt. My wife and I bought a house here. Together we can make it a beautiful neighborhood.'
His wife laughs, ‘And if we have a fight, I'll send you here.’

–

Twelve years later, we see more and more shared spaces appearing in Amsterdam. In response to smaller and more expensive housing in the city and growing individualization of society, shared spaces are proving to be a godsend. We see the concept of a Logeerhuis appearing more and more in large newly built housing complexes, such as in the Rhapsody complex in the Kolenkit neighborhood. But where is the position of a Logeerhuis for the entire neighborhood?

From May 16-21, Cascoland transforms the Bouwput into the former setting of the Logeerhuis. Starring Aicha and Asma as former administrators, we welcome neighborhood residents for an overnight stay for visiting family or friends. We look back and look forward: what have been the various functions and values of the Logeerhuis in recent years? What do we take with us into the future, of the Kolenkit as a neighborhood and for Amsterdam as a city?

May 16 to 21: Logeerhuis de Bouwput
Ferdinand Huyckstraat 74, Amsterdam

Programme

Daily exposition: 10:00-17:00 
Daily overnight stays: 17:00-10:00
Daily consultation hour: 10:00-11:00 
16 May 16:00-17:00: Festive opening with auction of Logeerhuis items
May 17 and 18: 12:00-14:00: Communal lunch and conversation
Confirmation of your arrival is appreciated

Want to book a night for friends or family? 

Contact
Aicha: 0685386256
Fiona: 0652606667
Room: 2 beds - Price: FREE!

Book quickly this special night, because full is full!