Westergasfabriek

Westergasfabriek review Rate it

On the sprawling terrain of the city's former gas works, the Westergasfabriek reopened in 2003 with much fanfare after years of renovation, asbestos removal and soil detoxification. With a wild variety of industrial buildings being re-invented as performance, event and exhibition spaces, the Westergasfabriek is quickly evolving into one of the city's premier cultural hubs; as it was through the 1990s, in fact, when it was a happening underground squat village. It's the new home for Cosmic (606 5050, www.cosmictheater.nl), a theatre troupe that has long been addressing the multicultural realities of the modern world, and Made in da Shade (606 5050, www.shade.nl), a group who make 'theatre for new times in old cities'. Now complete with acres of water and cypress-accented landscaping, the grounds are a lovely place for wandering; a wide range of cafés, including one belonging to the Ketelhuis cinema, provide welcome sustenance for the strolling visitor. All in all, it's well worth a visit, whether you're in the market for a theatre performance, a club night, an art exhibition or just a lengthy walk in the park. One of modern-day Amsterdam's most valued asse