Brace yourselves. We are about to explore a place where walls held stories of confinement and transformation, De Bajes. De Bajes, once known as the Bijlmerbajes, was a prison complex near the Amsterdam Amstel railway station. Its official name was Penitentiaire Inrichting Over-Amstel. It was also known as Penitentiaire Inrichting De Stadspoort or Penitentiaire Inrichtingen Amsterdam.
The Bijlmerbajes got its alliterative name because it was built when highrise construction was happening in the nearby Bijlmermeer. “Bajes” is Dutch slang for “prison”. Imagine this imposing structure rising from the landscape. It mirrored the city’s rapid growth while serving a very different purpose.
De Bajes was designed as a humane prison. It surprisingly opened in 1978 without bars on the windows. However, the glass wasn’t unbreakable. Bars, called lamellen, were later added. The complex had six towers. They were connected by a tunnel called the Kalverstraat. The main entrance was near the Spaklerweg metro station.
Each tower in De Bajes acted as a separate prison. Each housed different types of prisoners. The 260-meter central corridor, Kalverstraat, connected them all. Besides the towers, there were six outside areas. There were also three gyms, a church, and a mosque. The front building housed the kitchen, visitor rooms, and offices.
Each tower in De Bajes had 14 floors. Each department had two floors connected by stairs. Lifts provided vertical transport. Prisoners used two large lifts. Staff had a special small lift. Staff and inmates never shared a lift under normal circumstances. Emergency stairs were available at each end of every tower. The total floorspace was 84860 m2.
One tower, Het Schouw, was a standard HvB. HvB means Huis van bewaring. It is a prison for those awaiting sentencing or jailed for up to 6 months. Het Schouw had cells for multiple prisoners. It also had single-person cells and a special care unit. This unit housed prisoners needing extra attention. They had psychological problems or drug addictions.
De Weg, another tower, was also a HvB. It primarily housed repeating offenders. Each pavilion had 24 cells. Most held one prisoner. A few could hold two. Each pavilion had a shared recreation area, a kitchen, and showers.
Demersluis was another HvB. Some cells housed multiple prisoners. Others were for those who failed to pay fines. Some were for those who didn’t do community work. Two pavilions offered a program for addicts. One pavilion housed dangerous prisoners.
De Schans was a center for stelselmatige daders which is ISD. Criminals convicted of several crimes within five years could be sent here. These offenders committed small crimes. Earlier sentences didn’t stop them. Many were drug addicts who committed crimes to finance their habit.
Het Veer was a special department for prisoners with severe psychological problems. It was a national crisis facility. It could accommodate 66 prisoners. About 300 prisoners were sent to Het Veer each year. It was the only facility with 24/7 medical staff.
De Bajes closed in June 2016. In 2017, teams were selected to redevelop the complex. By 2022, the Bajeskwartier project was presented. It offered accommodation and recreational services. The Bijlmerbajes evolved. It transformed from a place of confinement to a place of renewal. Now, as we stand here, consider the layers of history beneath our feet. De Bajes is a testament to changing perspectives on justice and rehabilitation.