Free Concrete

The free space of the future is permanent and in collective property

Amsterdam Alternative
Back in 2006, when we as squatting collective bought the OT301 from the government, I became part of a free space in collective property within the turn of a day. At the time, I was myself not busy with real estate property, but fortunately some others within our group recognized the buying of OT301 as the best option.
During the following years, my interest in constructions around collective property increased and I became aware how important free spaces can be for the development of the individual as well as the community.  

In 2015, I, together with a few others, founded the Amsterdam Alternative association. It started as a collective of collectives, with the goal to support each other by ways of sharing knowledge and experience. A solidarity network to oppose the privatizing and gentrifying city.
The partaking collectives are all free spaces in Amsterdam, which, similar to the OT301, keep a (sub)cultural public programming along with spaces to live or work. These spaces have a non-profit, small-scale, accessible, and rather experimental character. The Amsterdam Alternative paper is our first collective project and has been published every two months since 2015, with number of copies from 6000 to 25000. In the eyes of some, a free paper en physique was outdated, but its visibility and autonomy made for a strong voice of the underground and people discovered that the ‘alternative’ Amsterdam may have shrunk, but is all but dead and buried. Ever since we have been making the paper, new volunteers are showing up on a near-weekly basis. People from all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. Everybody is willing to help, because, just like us, they want a pleasant future for all, not just the rich and happy few.

Organic growth
After some time, the Amsterdam Alternative opened up, so that not only free spaces could become member, but also other interested parties endorsing the values and principles of the Amsterdam Alternative. This has been leading to an enormous growth of the collective, a broadening in terms of content and the organisation of more and more different activities.
At first, we were mainly focussed on what was happening in and around free spaces in Amsterdam. Now, we are talking and writing about topics moving between housing, climate, activism, art & culture, inclusion and politics. The paper is becoming a rather joint platform, a stage that is being shared with activists, movements and organisations fighting for a better future for everyone.   
We never started Amsterdam Alternative with the intention to create something big, but I am happy and proud that it is still developing itself. It has been a very organic and step-by-step progress.

Collective force
A few years after the establishment of the Amsterdam Alternative, I realized that we could involve the growing group of sympathizers in a mission that springs nicely from our roots. We know that, since the lawful embargo on squatting back in 2010, very few free spaces have arisen and a large part of the ones that did have been bulldozed by the money machine.
Squatting may have been criminalized, but a brave new generation disregards the ban and breaks open one empty building after the other.
Through my past as a squatter and the related good experiences, I will ever support the scene. Simultaneously, I want to use the collective power of Amsterdam Alternative to realise new free spaces in shared property.  Squatting, but different. This thought is the foundation of Free Concrete. I envision Amsterdam Alternative as a fundament upon which we can continue building. The bigger and stronger it is, the more possibilities lie ahead. It is not our goal to create a free space for ourselves, and in that way the idea is different than the ones that came to realize places such as OT301, OCCII or the Domijn in Weesp. Personally, I am in no need for space, at least not to work or live in. With Vrij Beton, we are looking to set up a method or concept that makes it possible to create multiple places for everyone who needs it.

With Vrij Beton, we are looking to set up a method or concept that makes it possible to create multiple places for everyone who needs it.

Public Space
One of the most distinctive aspects of Vrij Beton is our focus on realizing free spaces. No housing cooperatives, no breeding places. Housing is very important and preferably we realize a combination of living and working with a public function, but if there is really no other way, it could be done without the living and working component as well. Public, non-commercial space for art, culture, music, film, food, drinks, education and societal projects are the most essential for Vrije Beton. Free spaces are hard to define, but in my opinion, the presence of public areas are one of their core elements. Space for experimentation, new ideas and also to build connection with the neighbourhood and other city dwellers. A free space should never be exclusively accessible to the select group of people inhabiting it. It should be shared and open to initiatives from outside. Easily approachable, small, affordable, democratic and collectively organized.

Webdocu
After the Vrij Beton kick-off, we adjusted, with financial help of the Stichting Doen, the Amsterdam Alternative website and the articles of association and, along with that, initiated a small campaign to bring Vrij Beton under the attention. In these times, we spoke and wrote a lot about our new project and organised various discussion evenings on collective property as well.  
It was nice to notice the enthusiasm and support. Perhaps, saying that we put the project on the map is a bit undue, but surely the first moves have been made and something is rolling now. 

Since the beginning of Vrij Beton I write and talk a lot about collective property, often together with people from the ‘scene’ who know what it comprises to purchase a collectively owned building. I also come to speak with people who are not familiar with the concept and wonder whether it is the same as communism. I get why people make that link, because there are some connections indeed. Yet, there is one very essential difference: communism is a system imposed from above, by the state. The people have nothing to say. Collective property, as we envision and use it, is organised from the bottom up. No rules or coercion from the state. The wonderful thing about collective property is setting up your own organisation and rules and having hundreds of ways to do that. The concept of collective property, by the way, bears a long history and could basically be applied to everything: housing, farming, free space, retail, natural areas, transport, communication, et cetera. When I noticed that the possibilities of collective property are not widely known, the idea for this web documentary came up. In the end, it has become a gigantic project, including many different perspectives and inspiring personal stories. It is an archive, manual and inspiration document in-one, that will, hopefully, create a better understanding of Vrij Beton, and grow familiarity and admiration around other beautiful initiatives such as Grond van Bestaan, Vrijcoop, Kapitaloceen and Buyworld.   

Free Space of the Future
My enthusiasm for collective property has been growing since we started making the webdocumentary. Speaking with so many people, hearing many great ideas, I became convinced that we should organize our society in a more collective way. I believe the present fixation on individual ownership to be the source of many problems and crises. All the knowledge and experience from our webdocumentary will certainly have an impact on the Vrij Beton projects, at least if we manage to realize new free spaces in the future.

Initially, we wanted to do everything from our own organization, but now I have the tendency to associate with Vrijcoop and the structures they have developed. Vrijcoop already has the legal work in order and devised a construction (taking after the German Mietshäuser Syndicaat) which makes it practically impossible to sell a building once it has been purchased. On top of that, the Vrijcoop structure includes a solidarity fund, which can be used to financially support their members whenever necessary.
You could see that as a way to be regenerative, to make for more and new lifeforms and develop the cooperative movement. The Mietshäuser Syndicaat is the living example of a such a system working successfully. It seems sensible to me joining this, instead of trying to figure it all out ourselves. Besides the legal and solidarity parts, I would like the future Vrij Beton projects to become Zoöps. ‘Zoöp’ is an abbreviation of Zoöperatie, meaning that not only we humans have a voice within the organization, but that there is a place for nature and all non-human life on earth to decide over important cases. It is also crucial not to pin ourselves down to much in advance. Every place, every building, every collective is different. Every free space should be given the way to grow themselves. It is exactly that freedom in thinking and doing which is necessary for a free space and that is why there should not be to much of policies, articles and rules.

The plans are ready, there is a firm foundation and a large collective of people supporting us and people on their marks to start working. 

The next step
When the web documentary is finished and finding its way to as many people as possible, the Amsterdam Alternative wants to pay more attention to Vrij Beton again. Hopefully, the webdocumentary creates more enthusiasm and reaches people that could help us to realize our plans, financially or in other ways. It must be clear that we have a lot of experience setting up and organizing free spaces. We are not small puppies, but mature dogs, full of enthusiasm and passion for the things we do. The plans are ready, there is a firm foundation and a large collective of people supporting us and people on their marks to start working.     
Amsterdam Alternative already practices in the OT301, where we have been hiring, using and programming the cinema and bar since February 2023. That is relatively small project, but we show there is a lot of interest from inside the collective and much need from outside for collaboration.  

Lacking elements
In order to realize our dreams, there are two things missing. The most vital yet challenging is property, buildings which suit are needs (public functions, living an working). The most logical option is to transform buildings (old schools, factories or offices), but designing and constructing them ourselves is possible too. It must be fantastic to participate in such a project. Both exisiting or new buildings are fine, as long they are a big enough to house different functions and hold an official permit to be used as a public space.
The other lacking element is money, of which a lot is needed to buy a building or a piece of land. This could be overcome by means of a symbolic (read: very low) price or donation, yet, as quite some things will probably have to be altered to make them free space fit, the call for financial resources will still be urgent. People in free spaces are known to do many things themselves, meaning a degree of self-management is always in place, but that does not do away the need for help.

Property is awfully expensive and therefore people do no find it realistic to think we will ever have a Vrij Beton building. I am, however, sure that we will make it happen. Maybe not tomorrow, but someday. Amsterdam Alternative has patience and a lot of endurance. We have more and more people understanding that free space is crucial, and collective property a way to escape from the stranglehold of big capital.
Let’s hope that the web docu will also inspire people with lots of money and property to have things better apart from themselves. New free spaces are needed to excite more people and offering them a chance to experience how beautiful and important these are for the development of the town and its society.
Next to the search for private donations we have been having talks with the Amsterdam government. Since a few years, there is a policy called Expeditie Vrije Ruimte, geared towards the creation of new free spaces. This development gives hope after all the terrible clearances of the recent years. Finally, the people in the city hall are convinced that free space is important for the city. Promising signs, but as for now, it all comes rather slow and the places which have been realised (Het Groene Veld and De Fik) are short-term projects and far away from being collective properties. Short-term can be exciting and fun, but also means being very careful not be misused for urban development and gentrification. I believe the government should bring in more than they do now. It is just a matter of support and will.

Space in Amsterdam is scarce for sure, but there are plenty of empty buildings, or places which are being used for things that the city does not really need. The stories of the distribution centre in the Lutkemeer polder, the enormous amount of hotels, empty buildings which are being bought up by international investors, and others that are being messed-up by anti-squatting: do we need to say more?
This is about priorities, long term vision and the intention to do what is right. Not only for one’s own wallet and stakeholders, but for everybody, humans and non-humans.