On Naaldwijkstraat, a new place is taking shape to make things — and to grow. From mid-October we're opening our doors to makers, repairers and small production businesses. With affordable workspace, a community around you, and plenty of room to develop yourself, your business and your craft and make it visible.
Open day — 18 & 21 November (opens in a new tab)
At de-Maakplek you get the space to build your own business. At the same time, you benefit from shared knowledge, entrepreneur programmes, a network of other makers, and the combined visibility of the location.
We actively create buzz in and around the building — with programming, events, hospitality, and moments where visitors get to see what’s being made here.
Because as far as we’re concerned, a good workspace isn’t just about square metres. It’s also about the people around you, the opportunities that creates, and an environment that helps you move forward.
A bike mechanic next to a ceramics studio. 3D printing next to textiles. Sneaker design next to electronics repair. It’s precisely because different trades and worlds work side by side that new ideas, customers and collaborations emerge. We’re looking for makers, repairers and producing entrepreneurs for whom making things is their daily work — and who want to make their craft visible to the public too.
De-Maakplek is primarily intended for entrepreneurs who are seriously looking for space for their business, and for whom making, repairing or producing is a core part of their daily work. So we’re not aiming at hobby studios for people who mainly want to make things in the evenings alongside a regular job.
An important part of de-Maakplek is that your work is visible to the public. That’s why we’re looking for entrepreneurs who open their workshop on shared public days, show what they do and, where it fits their business, sell products from a small shop, take in repairs, or run workshops.
Don’t see your trade listed? Sign up anyway. We put the exact mix together carefully — this isn’t a fixed list.
Affordable space for craft, repair and small-scale production is becoming ever scarcer. At the same time, we badly need people who can make, repair and renew.
De-Maakplek and Werkcorporatie Amsterdam want to literally make room for that.
Not hidden away behind closed doors, but in a place where craftsmanship is visible, and visitors can see how something is designed, made, repaired, sold, or given a second life.
And maybe that matters just as much. We believe in places where different people naturally run into each other — makers, entrepreneurs, neighbours, customers, young people and visitors — not because they’re alike, but because something is happening there that makes them curious.
As a maker you get access to a community of fellow entrepreneurs, shared facilities, and workshops and knowledge sessions that help you and your business move forward.
We’re not just filling the building with workspaces and leaving it at that.
We also actively build the visibility of de-Maakplek and the entrepreneurs working there. Through communication, events, introduction moments and collaborations, we make sure things don’t just happen inside the building — people find their way to it too.
De-Maakplek shouldn’t just be a pleasant place to work — it should be a place people genuinely want to visit. That’s why we’re making room for hospitality and organising events, workshops and other public moments. Together, we want to work toward three fixed public days a week, preferably Thursday, Friday and Saturday, when de-Maakplek is truly open and lively.
Makers show what they do, and can sell products from a small shop, take in repairs, or introduce visitors to their craft.
That doesn’t mean every entrepreneur has to be personally present three days a week. What matters is that together we make sure de-Maakplek is genuinely open on those days, that workshops are accessible, and that there’s something to see, discover or experience.
How you organise that can vary. Maybe you’re there yourself, make arrangements with your neighbour, or take turns covering certain moments.
The result is a building people enjoy walking into — where a visitor who came for one maker might just as easily become a customer of the next.
De-Maakplek won’t be a building with dozens of entrepreneurs who just happen to share the same address. We’re looking for independent entrepreneurs who are also willing to contribute to the bigger picture.
That can take all kinds of forms: sharing knowledge with another maker, joining an activity, organising a workshop, showing a young person something of your trade, or contributing to a joint initiative.
We don’t ask the same of everyone. But we do expect involvement, openness, and a willingness to help make de-Maakplek more than just a collection of workspaces.
Sharing knowledge comes back again and again throughout de-Maakplek. That’s no coincidence. We think it matters that craftsmanship isn’t just practised, but also passed on.
How you do that can differ per maker. Think of a workshop or demonstration, an internship placement, mentoring young talent, collaborating with another maker, or showing someone how your trade works.
In turn, we provide programmes and workshops that help you develop yourself and your business further.
That way, knowledge sharing works both ways. You get the chance to keep growing yourself, while passing on some of your own knowledge and experience to others.
Many more makers, crafts and workshops than we can show here. Click a photo for a larger view.
These images were generated with AI, based on original photos of the location — a vision on the horizon that we want to bring to life together with the first makers.
The spaces vary in size, location and possibilities. What you make and how you work are part of how we find the right fit for you.
Think of things like noise, machinery, logistics, facilities and how much space you need. Don’t let that hold you back from signing up — we welcome all kinds of makers and are happy to look at what’s possible within the building.
De-Maakplek is developed by de-Werkplek, commissioned by Werkcorporatie Amsterdam for its location on Naaldwijkstraat. Together, we want to create affordable space where entrepreneurship, craftsmanship and strong communities can grow.
Works on a network of affordable, accessible business spaces across Amsterdam. It creates space for entrepreneurs and makers who find it increasingly hard to find the right spot in the city.
For Naaldwijkstraat, Werkcorporatie Amsterdam is responsible for the location, the investment and the formal leasing.
The ambition goes beyond this one building. By organising space for local entrepreneurs in other locations too, Werkcorporatie Amsterdam wants to contribute to lively, diverse neighbourhoods — places where, alongside housing and big chains, there’s still room for the bike mechanic, designer, repairer, producer and other local entrepreneurs.
Has spent ten years building affordable, accessible workspaces and strong communities for independent entrepreneurs in Amsterdam.
We believe a good workspace should be close to home — ideally within about a fifteen-minute bike ride. By sharing scarce space and facilities, many more people can benefit from it too.
But our mission goes beyond affordable square metres. A workspace is also a meeting place. With de-Maakplek, we’re translating that experience for makers, repairers and small production businesses. We create places where people can move forward.
Seriously looking for space? Come see what's taking shape here. During our open days on 18 and 21 November you can view the building, hear more about the available spaces, rental terms and the concept, and learn how we're putting together the first group of makers. We expect the first tenants from 1 November.
To keep the tours manageable, we're working with advance registration.
Here’s exactly where to find us.
Looking for workspace in Amsterdam now or in the near future? Fill in our short questionnaire. It gives us a picture of what you make, how much space you need, and what kind of place fits your business.
Signing up doesn’t guarantee a space. We put together the mix of makers carefully, looking at your trade, your space needs, what the building allows, and what you can contribute to the community. So it’s not simply a matter of who signs up first.
Even if there’s no suitable space for you right now, it’s still worth signing up. A particular space might already be taken, several makers from the same field might be interested, or a future location might end up being a better fit for your business. Signing up also keeps you on our radar for future maker locations by Werkcorporatie Amsterdam.
Because we expect a lot of interest and questions in the first period, we’re collecting the most common questions and answers in one place. We keep adding to that list as new questions come in. So take a look there first.
View frequently asked questionsDon’t see your question there? Get in touch with us at ruimtezoeker@de-maakplek.nl.
