Some projects are best experienced beyond the drawing board - BCA excursion 2026

This week, the entire Benthem Crouwel team travelled by boat from Amsterdam Central Station to Hembrug, where we are working on ZaMu, the future Zaanstad Amsterdam Museum. Arriving from the water offered a unique perspective on this extraordinary site. Once home to the Dutch artillery works, Hembrug is now evolving into a vibrant landscape where industrial heritage, nature, art and creativity come together.

During the visit, we explored the historic buildings that will become part of the museum, received a sneak preview of artworks that will enrich the future visitor experience, and experienced the beautiful interplay between architecture, landscape and the gardens designed by Piet Oudolf.

As architects, we spend much of our time imagining places. Days like these remind us how important it is to experience them together. To walk through them, understand their stories and feel their atmosphere firsthand. We left inspired by the richness of Hembrug’s past and excited about its future.