Back in 1950’s when Amsterdam Noord played an important and crucial role in Dutch shipbuilding history, it’s workers established the building by the side of the water. For the coming years it served as their office space, ship assembly hall and a canteen of the NDSM-shipyard.
In the 80’s NDSM was closed down leaving thousands of people unemployed and on the streets. These individuals united and formed an association Belangenvereniging Baanloze Scheepsbouwers (BBS) and took over the building as their “headquarters” where they would play cards or pool and drink. This gave them a higher purpose, as a normal job would. And so the building became known as the Baanderij.
With the new plans for NDSM developing quickly, it was decided to keep the building as a historical, industrial and cultural monument. It was fully renovated to preserve the rough steel look and since 2005 is home to Restaurant Café de IJ-Kantine on the first floor.