citylikeyou — Volkskrant Buiding — Amsterdam by Simon Wald-Lasowski

A few years ago, the Volkskrant (one of the countries biggest newspaper) moved office to a new location. Their old headquarter now houses hundreds of artists and musician; along with dance studios, a bar/club with panorama over the city, a dreadlock ‘doctor’, a Russian cultural centre, a cyberpunk gallery and my photo studio on the 4th floor. It was a conscious choice by the founders to create a total melting pot. In the basement for example, 3 doors away from our music studio, you will find some cheerful weed smoking hiphop producers from the Bijlmer (the ‘ghetto’ of Amsterdam); an ex-yougoslavian hardcore drummer with a full analogue recording studio and a ballet school run by an obese woman in her 70’s. Ok, it might seem artificial, but it really is quite magical!

Website
volkskrantgebouw.nl

Address
Volkskrant Buiding, Volkskrant buiding, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Photographer Art Director

Current city: Amsterdam

simonwaldlasowski.com

Simon Wald-Lasowski (Paris, 1980) is a freelance photographer and art director. He makes colorful, fun, twisted work by use of bricolage, word play and ‘cliché bending’. Lighthearted at first sight, his images often reveal a certain depth on second inspection. His approach is always very personal, which blur the boundaries between autonomous and commissioned work. He lives in Amsterdam and graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in 2004 as a graphic designer. Occasionally he also works as a Wedding MC.

More Places in Amsterdam 100

Amsterdam / Transport

    Almost every underground station in Amsterdam has a fascinating story behind it. My favourite one is metro station ‘Weesperplein,’ because it has a hidden station underneath the actual station that was meant for the 'Singellijn.' However, that line was never build and the second station remained useless. Besides that the hidden station was also equipped to serve as a shelter during the cold war. The large doors that were meant to hermetically close the building are still visible at both ends of the platform. Other small details, like the panels in the ceiling than can be used as tables when turned around, are also silent references to the building’s former use.  

Amsterdam / Place

At the Damrak on the daily journey between home and studio, my eye is continually drawn to the emblem that has functioned as a façade ornament on the corner of the Beurs van Berlage for more than a hundred years. In combination with the past function of the building - trade centre - and in relation to the present financial crisis, the timeless maxim gains extra significance: ‘Dis-pe-reert niet’ (‘Do not des-pair’).

Amsterdam / Squat

In the ever growing conservative political scene in the Netherlands, the ADM is a reminder of the freedom and chaos that Amsterdam must have once been. It gives me my dose of dirty grittiness, something which is miss in this city in constant renovation and gentrification. Evolving around a main building on an industrial shipyard on the outskirts of town, it's an area where modern gypsies, anarchists, artists and free thinkers build their houses, park their caravans or dock their house boats. It's not entirely my scene, but I am happy to know that it's there. And they throw some amazing festivals!

Amsterdam / Street Art

At the end of tramline 7 and 14 there is a huge bridge on concrete pillars. These pillars are one of the few places in Amsterdam where it’s legal to spray graffiti. My work is very much influenced by graffiti, so I love to come here and see what’s going on. It’s a very dynamic place, so one day it can be awful and the next day amazing but it’s never boring.

Amsterdam / Shop

Where I buy most of my books and magazines for work.