Disteldorp (Amsterdam-North): vernacular temporary housing that lasted

The housing in Disteldorp was intended to stand 10 years. Due to massive overcrowding around the city centre it was quickly decided to leave the buildings standing for at least 25 years. The houses were refurbished in 1932 and again in the 1980s. They were completely renovated in 2003 after being listed. The architect is not known but said to be B.T. Boeyinga with a street plan by Jan Ernst van der Pek or J.H. Mulder.

Disteldorp is less orthogonal than its twin Vogeldorp and owes more to Unwinesque examples of garden cities and suburbs. This is clearly visible at the edged and around the back yards within the block. The open style of building with short terraces and some semidetached properties is in line with Garden City Ideals. In some streets (as shown on the right) a rectilinear approach in street layout is combined with the vernacular inspired architecture.

The typical placement of the houses with alternating directions of the roof ridge echoes a village in Waterland. It was the intention to create a small village in Amsterdam North. No building could therefore exceed 3 storeys to set this part of the city apart from typical housing blocks of 4 storeys in the old city. The privet hedges are part of the original design and also aim to aid the village-character of the place.

The emphasize the sense of community the small garden village was given these gate buildings that give access to the main streets that lead to the central facilities. The design was based on regional architecture and wharf sheds in particular. The black colour of the weatherboarding and other woodwork is original and distinguishes Disteldorp from vernacular buildings in shades of blue green and grey.

Another example of a gate building. These low volumes are being accompanied by equally low terraces without wood cladding visible in the front facade. These low buildings are one of three types built within this temporary garden village. They were aimed at providing living accommodation for young couples and elderly folk.

All the houses in Disteldorp have a front and back garden. Some even have a side garden. All gardens are edges with low privet hedges. There are no gates to close of the garden as a means to encourage social interaction between residents. The buildings form a stylistic unified ensemble by the reoccurring use of wood cladding, orange tiles, white bargeboards and light bricks for the different house types.

At the heart of the garden village a large rectangular green (Distelplein) was designed with around it room for shops. The shops were provided with these decorative Dutch awnings. The shops have been changed into normal dwellings after they had stood empty for many years due to the new shopping centre that was built further north and the competition from shops around the Mosplein.

Originally 224 houses were built in Disteldorp. In the 2003 renovation the small dwellings have been merged to create larger houses and also create space to improve insulation on the inside. As part of the renovation new sheds were erected in the back garden (left) that are in keeping with the restored original buildings. The buildings were fitted with double glazing, loft insulation and new dormers. All buildings are listed and form an excellent example of ensemble architecture.

The houses of Disteldorp were built on sand excavated from the North Sea dunes to stabilise the soil. The buildings were built as wooden frames with an infill of bricks and planks. The homes were small, but were an enormous improvement on the single-room dwellings and slums that the residents came from.