Ossenmarkt:
‘A place where everything happens, but nothing changes’
Forteiland Ossenmarkt in Weesp (North Holland province)
In focus
The green ramps, with in the background De Vriendschap and De Eendragt wind turbines.
By: Anka van Voorthuijsen
Photo credit: Paul Tolenaar
Niek Roozen enters the basic green-and-blue building to order a cup of coffee, skilfully manoeuvring past the small children playing on the floor with LEGOs and Playmobil. Their parents are seated nearby at tables with laptops, coffee and pieces of apple pie. “Isn’t this place wonderful?”, he exclaims, and Willem Hilders agrees: “It’s truly a hidden gem. Yet there are still people in Weesp who are unfamiliar with this spot, not to mention people from Amsterdam, who have never set foot anywhere near here.”
Niek and Willem in front of Fort Ossenmarkt
We’re at Fort Ossenmarkt in Weesp (North Holland province), a fortified citadel which has been converted into a multi-purpose venue. At just a 10-minute walk from Weesp railway station, this is a green oasis, an island covering around five hectares, which can be reached by crossing a picturesque white drawbridge. While the historic brick tower fortress and its moat are eye-catchers for sure, this island has plenty more to offer: there are two eateries, a marina, a war memorial where a World War II commemorative ceremony is held on May 4 every year, there are some 50 homes, and along the River Vecht you will find the Groene Punt (Green Point): a popular summertime swimming and hangout spot.
One section of the island is private property. This is where Niek Roozen lives, who, along with his two neighbours, has been the owner of 1.5 hectares of the island known as the Bakkerschans since 1983. Niek: “The real estate department at the Ministry of Defence had advertised the site for sale in a newspaper. Three friends and I – we all have degrees in landscape architecture from a college in Boskoop – sneaked in over the fence, and although the piece of land we discovered was completely abandoned, we knew this was the spot where we wanted to live and work together and do what we loved doing most.”
Sitting at the Groene Punt (Green Point) overlooking the Sluisbrug bridge and Laurentiuskerk church
Wooden houses
Nearly four decades on, the original gang all still live here. They took on the green wilderness together, refurbished run-down sheds and warehouses, and had three basic wooden houses built on the site. A former ammunition supply warehouse was converted into De Theetuin, a tea garden. “This is our shared hobby, inspired by English country homes such as Sissinghurst and Hidcote. It’s a mix of new gardens, a garden centre, and a tea garden.”
On weekends, they would drive a small lorry to visit flea markets around Belgium and France, where they would pick up hundreds of garden bistro sets and Italian ceramics. “We would sell them right here on the site, and after (popular interior design magazine and website) VT Wonen ran a story on us, things really took off.” Niek points to a row of old metal decorative fences: “Every so often we host a plant market down here, so visitors can purchase those too.”
‘Although the piece of land we discovered was completely abandoned, we knew this was the spot’
Fortress wall
Niek tells us that he and the other four residents feel privileged to own this space. He opens a gate and walks up a metal stairway leading to the slope of the fortress wall, past a herd of black Ouessant sheep who, as he tells us, “keep the grass nice and short.” Maintaining this massive site clearly requires a lot of work. “See how neatly trimmed those hedges are over there? That’s my job. We all have our own tasks down here.” He says he still enjoys this place every day: “It makes me so happy to see other people enjoy it as well. Sunday is the only day when we keep the gate closed – that’s when we get to relax and also do a bit of upkeep around the place.”
Four ramps
The Bakkerschans ramp, as the fortress wall near the tea garden is called, is one of a total of four ramps found in Weesp. Constructed around 1670, these walls served to defend the city against enemy attacks, while the tower fortress was used as a barracks for soldiers. It is here, in the city of Weesp, that two defence lines converge: the Dutch Waterline and the Stelling van Amsterdam (Defence Line), both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
As construction area manager for green urban projects Jeroen van Kemenade explains, the other three ramps located in Weesp (Nieuwe Achtkant, Roozeboomschans and Draaierschans) are owned by the council. “These ramps together make up Weesp’s city park, but we feel they deserve more attention. We will be undertaking some large-scale maintenance here, which should increase the area’s appeal as a nature reserve, and create walking paths that are easily accessible for all.”
A new passageway with white concrete walls was created at the Nieuwe Achtkant some 10 years ago. Jeroen: “That wall is pretty in-your-face, so we had a citizen initiative to make some changes. We will be lowering the walls and replacing them with weathering steel to get more of a sense of harmony.” We will also be adding a weathered steel passageway at Nieuwstad between the Draaier and Roozeboomschans ramps. “Since the new paths will follow the shape of the ramps, it will be plain for all to see that these were originally defence walls.”
‘Since the new paths will follow the shape of the ramps, it will be plain for all to see that these were originally defence walls.’
Jeroen van Kemenade
Rowers on the River Vecht, near Groene Punt
The Lange Vechtbrug connects the Ossenmarkt to Weesp’s city centre
Passageway at Nieuwe Achtkant, on the southside of the island
Creative
Despite having lived in Weesp nearly his entire life, when he was young Willem Hilders never ventured into this part of the city: “We knew it was off limits because it was owned by the Ministry of Defence.” He now walks across the moat bridge towards the fortress almost every day. Willem is the chair of Kreatieve Groep Weesp (KGW), which organizes all kinds of creative activities from Monday to Friday in the round tower fortress. KGW has been located here for 30 years: “It’s a beautiful place, with a real sense of history.” He proudly shows us the wood-processing machines, the kitchen (“Every Wednesday, the volunteers of the Weesp cooking team cook meals here for economically deprived members of our community and deliver them to their homes”), and the easels, which are located in a space with daylight lamps: “We almost don’t get any daylight in here at all.”
More than 300 Weesp residents come here every week, drawn as they are to the welcoming and inclusive space. The Gooische Muziekschool (local music academy), Historische Kring Weesp (Weesp Historical Society) and several artists all rent space here. Niek: “It’s wonderful to pass the fortress and hear piano and violin music coming from inside.” There is one thing Willem is concerned about: “Since we were incorporated into Amsterdam back in March, our rent has quadrupled. The difference will be compensated for the first five years, but I don’t know what’s going to happen after that.”
People are still adjusting to the merging of Weesp and Amsterdam, according to area agent Youssef Bouazza, who acts as a liaison between Weesp residents and business owners and the various teams employed by the City of Amsterdam. “Now that Weesp is part of Amsterdam, the city has been enriched with cultural heritage and an active community life. Weesp gets to benefit from all the knowledge and experience Amsterdam has to offer, but will also lose the small-scale nature of its own municipal organisation. We are all having to adjust to this transitional stage.”
Youssef Bouazza
Blue Zone
De Theetuin was recently renamed Bar Blauw and is run by Niek Roozen’s son Toon and his business partner, Bobby Bruins. Their ambition is to transform it into the world’s sixth Blue Zone: places where people can live together healthily and happily and live to an old age.
Niek tells us how pleased he is to see the next generation pursue these kinds of ideals: “It may look like nothing changes around here, but of course we’re evolving constantly. We are currently investigating whether we can ditch natural gas on a section of the island. Climate change has created a need for different types of vegetation, so we asked gardening expert Jacqueline van der Kloet, who lives here as well, to design it. We have been planting trees that attract bees, our tools now run on batteries, and we would like to have a small wind turbine installed on the site.” The first residents of the Bakkerschans section ran the tea garden on the side, for fun: “It was a bit of a money pit.” The restaurant is now run by professionals. “But you don’t really notice it at all – the atmosphere is still as lovely and serene as ever.”
Bar Blauw (formerly named De Theetuin) – once used as an ammunition supply warehouse and now a place founded on ideals
Ossenmarkt:
‘A place where everything happens, but nothing changes’
Forteiland Ossenmarkt in Weesp (North Holland province)
Contents
Nederlands
Tekst: Anka van Voorthuijsen
Fotografie: Paul Tolenaar
Niek Roozen enters the basic green-and-blue building to order a cup of coffee, skilfully manoeuvring past the small children playing on the floor with LEGOs and Playmobil. Their parents are seated nearby at tables with laptops, coffee and pieces of apple pie. “Isn’t this place wonderful?”, he exclaims, and Willem Hilders agrees: “It’s truly a hidden gem. Yet there are still people in Weesp who are unfamiliar with this spot, not to mention people from Amsterdam, who have never set foot anywhere near here.”
Niek and Willem in front of Fort Ossenmarkt
We’re at Fort Ossenmarkt in Weesp (North Holland province), a fortified citadel which has been converted into a multi-purpose venue. At just a 10-minute walk from Weesp railway station, this is a green oasis, an island covering around five hectares, which can be reached by crossing a picturesque white drawbridge. While the historic brick tower fortress and its moat are eye-catchers for sure, this island has plenty more to offer: there are two eateries, a marina, a war memorial where a World War II commemorative ceremony is held on May 4 every year, there are some 50 homes, and along the River Vecht you will find the Groene Punt (Green Point): a popular summertime swimming and hangout spot.
One section of the island is private property. This is where Niek Roozen lives, who, along with his two neighbours, has been the owner of 1.5 hectares of the island known as the Bakkerschans since 1983. Niek: “The real estate department at the Ministry of Defence had advertised the site for sale in a newspaper. Three friends and I – we all have degrees in landscape architecture from a college in Boskoop – sneaked in over the fence, and although the piece of land we discovered was completely abandoned, we knew this was the spot where we wanted to live and work together and do what we loved doing most.”
Sitting at the Groene Punt (Green Point) overlooking the Sluisbrug bridge and Laurentiuskerk church
Wooden houses
Nearly four decades on, the original gang all still live here. They took on the green wilderness together, refurbished run-down sheds and warehouses, and had three basic wooden houses built on the site. A former ammunition supply warehouse was converted into De Theetuin, a tea garden. “This is our shared hobby, inspired by English country homes such as Sissinghurst and Hidcote. It’s a mix of new gardens, a garden centre, and a tea garden.”
On weekends, they would drive a small lorry to visit flea markets around Belgium and France, where they would pick up hundreds of garden bistro sets and Italian ceramics. “We would sell them right here on the site, and after (popular interior design magazine and website) VT Wonen ran a story on us, things really took off.” Niek points to a row of old metal decorative fences: “Every so often we host a plant market down here, so visitors can purchase those too.”
‘Although the piece of land we discovered was completely abandoned, we knew this was the spot’
Fortress wall
Niek tells us that he and the other four residents feel privileged to own this space. He opens a gate and walks up a metal stairway leading to the slope of the fortress wall, past a herd of black Ouessant sheep who, as he tells us, “keep the grass nice and short.” Maintaining this massive site clearly requires a lot of work. “See how neatly trimmed those hedges are over there? That’s my job. We all have our own tasks down here.” He says he still enjoys this place every day: “It makes me so happy to see other people enjoy it as well. Sunday is the only day when we keep the gate closed – that’s when we get to relax and also do a bit of upkeep around the place.”
Four ramps
The Bakkerschans ramp, as the fortress wall near the tea garden is called, is one of a total of four ramps found in Weesp. Constructed around 1670, these walls served to defend the city against enemy attacks, while the tower fortress was used as a barracks for soldiers. It is here, in the city of Weesp, that two defence lines converge: the Dutch Waterline and the Stelling van Amsterdam (Defence Line), both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
As construction area manager for green urban projects Jeroen van Kemenade explains, the other three ramps located in Weesp (Nieuwe Achtkant, Roozeboomschans and Draaierschans) are owned by the council. “These ramps together make up Weesp’s city park, but we feel they deserve more attention. We will be undertaking some large-scale maintenance here, which should increase the area’s appeal as a nature reserve, and create walking paths that are easily accessible for all.”
A new passageway with white concrete walls was created at the Nieuwe Achtkant some 10 years ago. Jeroen: “That wall is pretty in-your-face, so we had a citizen initiative to make some changes. We will be lowering the walls and replacing them with weathering steel to get more of a sense of harmony.” We will also be adding a weathered steel passageway at Nieuwstad between the Draaier and Roozeboomschans ramps. “Since the new paths will follow the shape of the ramps, it will be plain for all to see that these were originally defence walls.”
Jeroen van Kemenade
Rowers on the River Vecht, near Groene Punt
The Lange Vechtbrug connects the Ossenmarkt to Weesp’s city centre
Passageway at Nieuwe Achtkant, on the southside of the island
Creative
Despite having lived in Weesp nearly his entire life, when he was young Willem Hilders never ventured into this part of the city: “We knew it was off limits because it was owned by the Ministry of Defence.” He now walks across the moat bridge towards the fortress almost every day. Willem is the chair of Kreatieve Groep Weesp (KGW), which organizes all kinds of creative activities from Monday to Friday in the round tower fortress. KGW has been located here for 30 years: “It’s a beautiful place, with a real sense of history.” He proudly shows us the wood-processing machines, the kitchen (“Every Wednesday, the volunteers of the Weesp cooking team cook meals here for economically deprived members of our community and deliver them to their homes”), and the easels, which are located in a space with daylight lamps: “We almost don’t get any daylight in here at all.”
More than 300 Weesp residents come here every week, drawn as they are to the welcoming and inclusive space. The Gooische Muziekschool (local music academy), Historische Kring Weesp (Weesp Historical Society) and several artists all rent space here. Niek: “It’s wonderful to pass the fortress and hear piano and violin music coming from inside.” There is one thing Willem is concerned about: “Since we were incorporated into Amsterdam back in March, our rent has quadrupled. The difference will be compensated for the first five years, but I don’t know what’s going to happen after that.”
People are still adjusting to the merging of Weesp and Amsterdam, according to area agent Youssef Bouazza, who acts as a liaison between Weesp residents and business owners and the various teams employed by the City of Amsterdam. “Now that Weesp is part of Amsterdam, the city has been enriched with cultural heritage and an active community life. Weesp gets to benefit from all the knowledge and experience Amsterdam has to offer, but will also lose the small-scale nature of its own municipal organisation. We are all having to adjust to this transitional stage.”
Youssef Bouazza
Blue Zone
De Theetuin was recently renamed Bar Blauw and is run by Niek Roozen’s son Toon and his business partner, Bobby Bruins. Their ambition is to transform it into the world’s sixth Blue Zone: places where people can live together healthily and happily and live to an old age.
Niek tells us how pleased he is to see the next generation pursue these kinds of ideals: “It may look like nothing changes around here, but of course we’re evolving constantly. We are currently investigating whether we can ditch natural gas on a section of the island. Climate change has created a need for different types of vegetation, so we asked gardening expert Jacqueline van der Kloet, who lives here as well, to design it. We have been planting trees that attract bees, our tools now run on batteries, and we would like to have a small wind turbine installed on the site.” The first residents of the Bakkerschans section ran the tea garden on the side, for fun: “It was a bit of a money pit.” The restaurant is now run by professionals. “But you don’t really notice it at all – the atmosphere is still as lovely and serene as ever.”
Bar Blauw (formerly named De Theetuin) – once used as an ammunition supply warehouse and now a place founded on ideals
