Betondorp Explained

Official Name:Betondorp
Settlement Type:Neighbourhood of Amsterdam
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Netherlands
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:North Holland
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Amsterdam
Subdivision Type3:Borough
Subdivision Name3:Amsterdam-Oost
Unit Pref:Imperial
Timezone:CET
Utc Offset:+1
Coordinates:52.3403°N 4.9431°W

Betondorp (in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /bəˈtɔndɔr(ə)p/; Concrete Village) is a neighbourhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was built in the 1920s as an experiment in building affordable housing with new, cheap building materials, chiefly concrete.

The houses are built in a sober, minimalist form of Art Deco.[1]

Betondorp is located in the Watergraafsmeer neighbourhood.

Footballer Johan Cruyff was born and raised in Betondorp. In his teens he joined Ajax, his hometown club that had their stadium and training ground right across from where he grew up. Another famous Betondorp native was Gerard van het Reve, and he lived with his older brother Karel van het Reve and their parents in the Ploegstraat (the family lived in three different houses in de Ploegstraat) in Betondorp between 1924 and 1938.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Netherlands: Betondorp in Amsterdam - Getting Creative with Concrete.