Polderhuis in De Pijp

In 1865, amidst grassy fields and upscale gardens along the Amstel River, a modest worker’s cottage arose. This is the Polderhuis in De Pijp. It stands as a testament to a time when this vibrant Amsterdam neighborhood was a mere whisper of its current self. The Polderhuis, commissioned by Jan van Bemmel, predates the iconic “pijpenladen” that define De Pijp. These narrow, tightly packed houses only appeared after Amsterdam annexed the area in 1896. Before that, this area belonged to the municipality of Nieuwer-Amstel. It was a landscape of open fields, market gardens, and luxurious summer homes for wealthy Amsterdammers. Imagine the Polderhuis standing solitary amidst this pastoral scene. The Polderhuis has witnessed a dramatic transformation. The area around it evolved from tranquil countryside to the bustling heart of De Pijp. The little house itself faced its own trials. Years of neglect brought the Polderhuis to near ruin. The roof sagged precariously, held together by ever-expanding tarpaulins. Then, in 1988, a young student named Bram Bos moved in. He saw potential in the dilapidated cottage. Years later, Bos became the unlikely owner of the Polderhuis, embarking on a journey of extensive renovations. These renovations were completed in 2015, marking the Polderhuis’s 150th anniversary. Interestingly, the final stone was laid by Bos’s daughter, Jeanne, alongside a distant relative of the 11-year-old boy who had laid the first stone back in 1865. The Polderhuis stands today as a beautifully restored monument. It features modern sustainable technologies like a heat pump and solar collector. This allows it to boast an energy label of nearly A++. The Polderhuis is a captivating blend of old and new. It serves as a tangible link to Amsterdam’s past while embracing a sustainable future.