De Biesboschhal, life after DordtYart

The DordtYart project is the result of a public/private commission in 2012 to temporarily transform the former De Biesbosch ship engine factory into a museum and production house for contemporary sculptural works. The hall is located in the “de Staart” redevelopment zone in Dordrecht.

This temporary arrangement came to an end in 2019, when DordtYart vacated the premises. The building is now occupied by various anti-squatting tenants. There are various ideas for the future of the hall, as reported by the newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.

De Biesboschhal, Dordrecht, 2021

De Kleine Klussers build tiny houses in de Biesboschhal, 2021

De Kleine Klussers have a workshop in the hall where they build tiny houses. With three tiny houses under construction and the chassis for a fourth already completed, it is clear that the size of the hall suits them well. They would like even more space, so they hope to move to a similar location in Rotterdam to serve even more tiny house enthusiasts.

In addition to De Kleine Klussers, artist Edward Clydesdale Thomson and volunteers are building a boat for the Dordrechts Museum, musical instruments are being repaired by the Leerorkest Drechtsteden, and various other entrepreneurs are renting workspaces in the former exhibition rooms. In short, even after the departure of DordtYart, there is still life in the hall!

Construction of a boat for the Dordrechts Museum, 2021

Platform DordtYart, 2012

In 2012, we wrote the following about the project, which had just been completed at the time:

“A spacious reception hall contains the reception desk and toilets, behind which the central kitchen is visible through a glass front. On the east side, there is a platform for encounters between artists and the public, which has a new connection to the studios on the first floor. On the west side is the main hall, where the works and works in progress can be viewed. The raised path takes you to the exhibition hall. Because the entire façade can be moved on rails, the spaces flow seamlessly into one another.”

A tour of the building shows that the interior has stood the test of time well. The first application of contour plates, residual material from the metal industry, still looks as good as new. This demonstrates that this material is extremely suitable for its new function. The milled Trespa desktops on the platform are also still in good condition, only the tape marking the step has been replaced. This can easily be used for another 10 years or more. The cast floor does need some maintenance, as cracks have appeared that need to be repaired.

Platform DordtYart, 2021

Overview of temporary use of de Biesboschhal, Dordrecht, 2021

Last year, there was already discussion in regional newspapers about the future of de Biesboschhal. The municipality of Dordrecht remains the owner of this municipal monument, so the future of the hall seems to be in good hands. In 2019, architecture students from Da Vinci College in Dordrecht created a “circular redesign” for the hall called de Deelfabriek. Other ideas are also circulating, such as a sports yard where you can boulder and play boules, or a creative breeding ground similar to the one found at the NDSM shipyard in Amsterdam. The hall is probably well suited to both purposes, just as it has been a fantastic venue for DordtYart.

It is good that the decision was made 10 years ago to renovate this building. Now it is important to ensure that it remains up to date for the next 25 years and beyond, with health, creativity and circularity at the core.

As the interior is still in good condition, we hope that the municipality of Dordrecht and the next user will consider giving the interior a third life. Preferably at the current location, but the material could also be used at another location by offering it for reuse. This way, we keep the design circular.