User:Marilu92/Western Gas Factory

The Western Gas Factory is a former gas factory in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Nowadays it is used for all kind of cultural things.

History

In the 19th century the Imperial Continental Gas Associaton (ICGA) builded two coal plants in Amsterdam: the Eastern Gas Factory and the Western Gas Factory. The last one was ready in 1885 and was statistically builded between water, rails and access roads. In those days it was the largest gas extraction plant in the Netherlands. The gas was extracted from coal and was used for city lights.

In 1898 the City of Amsterdam took over the exploitation and the production increased and extensions took place. Later the city went over to gas of the Hoogovens in IJmuiden, so the production of gas from the Western Gas Factory decreased. In 1967 the production of the gas of the Western Gas Factory permanently stopped.

After the factory was closed the City of Amsterdam noticed that the area around the factory was heavily polluted. It took several years before the city of Amsterdam and the Ministry of VROM agreed on a remedation plan. Ten years later, when they finally started the reorganization, it was clear how bad the area was polluted. Because of all the heavy pollution, the project costed a lot more time and money as the expected.

Design

For the design of the two buildings the director, Julius Pazzani, asked the architect Isaac Gosschalk. Gosschalk used the style of Dutch Neo Renaissance. This style was used in the Netherlands between 1870 and 1915, during a period of economic welfare.

He united the functional nature of the buildings with the beauty of architecture. Symmetrie played an imported role in his design.

After the gemeente took over the gasfabricage from 1898 the complex was expended. The major expansion took place between 1901 and 1905. In the course of time several buildings were demolished. Thirtheen of the remaining buildings are now a national monument.

Cultural

In 1981 the City of Amsterdam decided that the former industrial area of the Western Gas Factory should be a park. A century earlier this area was also designated to be a park. A few years later they builded the Western Gas Factory. In 1890 a part of the area was already transformed in a park.

The people that lived nearby the Western Gas Factory wanted a park. In the area around the Western Gas Factory were almost no green facilicties. In consultation with the community organizations, the City of Amsterdam made a few assumptions. The access of the park needed to be approved with a new bridge and the social security would play an important role. They wanted sport facilities, flower gardens, a water play garden for children and walking and cycling routes. A park needed to fit everybody's wishes. A park is there for sports, relaxation, nature and as a meeting point.

After a selection process the city of Amsterdam eventually chose the parkdesign of Kathryn Gustafson. In her design the different features of the park and the different ways people deal with landscape came together.

Restaurants and Clubs

Since the opening of the park, a lot of restaurants and clubs were opened in the park of the Western Gas Factory.

Awakenings

One of the biggest events that takes place in the Western Gas Factory is the techno party Awakenings. A few times a year Monumental Productions organizes an Awakenings party. With the biggest DJ's, lasershows, fireworks and other amazing things the parties are very populair and people from all over the world come to Amsterdam to experience the 'Awakenings feeling'.

The Company of Western Gas Factory

The Company of Western Gas Factory is owner of the buildings and the company is owned by MeyerBergman. Misses Meyer-Bergman is actively involved with the company and other cultural projects.

MeyerBergman doesn't aim to optimize profits, but to a sustainable and cultural use of the buildings. Added profits will be donated to the Western Gas Factory and the Foundation of the Western Gas Factory, and thereby to the development of the entire organization.

External links

• The official site of the Western Gas Factory
• The official site of Awakenings (Dutch)