Archive | Documentary (in dutch): Kleiburg, the last Bijlmerflat

Summary

The dutch documentary Kleiburg, the Last Bijlmer Flat by filmmaker Jeroen Visser tells the story of the largest DIY apartment block in the Netherlands. From the threat of demolition to international recognition: the film shows how a derided Bijlmer flat was given new life and grew into heritage and an icon.

Why is this relevant for Kleiburg phase 1

For the sustainability plans of our homeowners’ association (VvE), the documentary is valuable. It shows that Kleiburg is not just any apartment block, but a monument with a rich history. When making choices about insulation, ventilation, and energy, we must take heritage and architecture into account, alongside comfort and affordability.

Explainer

Jeroen Visser shows how, upon completion in the late 1960s, the Bijlmer was hailed as the future of public housing. Tens of thousands of Amsterdammers found spacious, light apartments there, like in Kleiburg: 11 storeys high, 400 metres long. The mood soon shifted, however: the district gained a reputation for being unsafe and inhospitable, and many blocks were demolished.

Kleiburg seemed headed for the same fate, but got a new chance in the early 2010s. The block was reopened as a DIY renovation project. In the documentary, former residents, architects and new residents speak, supported by unique archival footage. The result is a layered portrait with an unexpectedly positive ending.

The film was screened in 2013 at the Netherlands Film Festival (Utrecht) and the Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam (AFFR).

Benefits and limitations

• Benefit: the film offers a rich picture of Kleiburg ’s social, architectural and cultural value.

• Limitation: sustainability is not yet addressed. That challenge is ours today: insulation, airtightness, ventilation and energy generation are essential.

Costs and finance

The documentary itself does not discuss this, but the history shows that collaboration and creativity open new opportunities. The same applies now to sustainability: by combining subsidies, loans and resident initiative, the HOA (VvE) can take steps.

What do we still not know?

The film ends with the saving and renovation of the block. How we will also make this heritage energy-efficient in the coming years is the question we now face as VvE phase 1.

Sources and links

• Documentary: Kleiburg, the Last Bijlmer Flat (Jeroen Visser, 2013).

• Municipality of Amsterdam: “Kleiburg, from decline to masterpiece.”

• Architecture awards: Mies van der Rohe Award (2017).

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Do you have any questions, ideas or would you like to share your experiences?

Email us at duurzaamkleiburg1@gmail.com. Together we'll chart a path toward a future-proof Kleiburg.