Sefkatli, Pinar, ed. 2022. Changing Rhythms During the Pandemic in Amsterdam Zuidoost. Amsterdam: Designing Rhythms for Social Resilience, University of Amsterdam.
Part 3: Changing Rhythms in Community Spaces
Amsterdam Zuidoost is a city borough with a dense community landscape. There are more than 185 churches, 30 community centres and over 50 community foundations. They serve to bring together different groups of people ranging from the youth to the elderly, organising various activities and events. Furthermore, they function as mediators for the Amsterdam Zuidoost residents, becoming crucial locations to seek advice or information. Due to the Corona pandemic, community gatherings became problematic; during the first lockdown, events, festivals, and meetings with more than 30 people per room were prohibited. Religious services minimally took place, and many participants started practising from home. The closing down of community spaces disrupted the rhythms of communities as well. Coming together weekly, monthly, or yearly was missed by many and had a significant impact on the residents’ daily lives as well. At the same time, the change these places have acquired could also be a way to understand other difficulties that the Amsterdam Zuidoost residents went through, such as economic or family issues. The projects presented in this chapter explore such changes by focusing on a church, a weekly eating service at a community centre, and a local foundation that started functioning as a foodbank during the pandemic.
By Jake Warren, Elia Calderazzi, Britt Brilman
Image credits
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