Buiksloterham

Buiksloterham lies in the Noord district, along the north bank of the IJ to the west of the Buiksloterkanaal, opposite the city centre. The area covers about 253 hectares. It was drained as a polder in 1851 and for more than a century was one of Amsterdam's main industrial areas.

• Fokker opened an aircraft factory here in 1919; it was heavily bombed in July 1943, and the wartime raids on Amsterdam-Noord were the heaviest bombing the city suffered, with more than 200 people killed, most of them civilians.
• Shell had large oil-related operations in the area from 1868 onwards.
• The neighbouring NDSM shipyards declined in the 1980s.

Since the 2000s former industrial sites have been redeveloped for housing and mixed use. In 2014 the city launched a programme of plots for self-build homes, and in March 2015 parties in the area signed a manifesto to develop Buiksloterham as a circular-economy neighbourhood (Buiksloterham Circulair).

Buiksloterham is a neighbourhood in transition. New apartment buildings and self-built homes stand next to workshops, remaining businesses and building sites, and the mix changes from year to year.

• It borders the NDSM wharf to the west, a former shipyard that now houses creative industries and media companies and hosts festivals and events.
• The waterfront along the IJ gives open views across to the city centre.
• Experimental and sustainable building projects are part of the area's identity, reflecting the circular-economy ambitions agreed in 2015.

• Ferries (free for pedestrians and cyclists): F3 from Buiksloterweg to Centraal Station, every few minutes during the day and also at night; F6 from the Distelweg to the Pontsteiger in the Houthavens (Monday to Friday, 6:30–19:30); and from the NDSM wharf just to the west, F4 to Centraal Station (nightly until 2:00, until 3:30 on Friday and Saturday nights) and F7 to the Pontsteiger.
• Metro 52 stops at Noorderpark and Noord, east of the Buiksloterkanaal, with trains under the IJ to Centraal Station, the city centre and Station Zuid.
• Buses serve the area and connect it with the metro.

Check ferry timetables if you rely on them early in the morning, late at night or at weekends.

Most homes are recent: new apartment buildings, self-built houses on individual plots and collective projects, with more under construction. Because the area is still being developed, amenities such as shops, schools and health services are being added over time.

There is no official rent figure for Buiksloterham alone. According to I amsterdam, Amsterdam rents are among the highest in the Netherlands and social housing has waiting times of typically 8 to 18 years, so newcomers usually rent privately. Check whether a rent falls under the points system before you sign (see our tenant rights guide).

The Noorderpark lies just across the Buiksloterkanaal, next to the metro, and the waterfront offers space for walks and cycling. As the neighbourhood is still developing, check the distance to primary schools and childcare before you move.

Register in good time for primary school, as many schools keep waiting lists; I amsterdam recommends Scholen op de Kaart to compare schools near your address.