The last one standing.
‘Crane 2868’, also called the ‘Figee crane’, is the last remaining harbour crane on the Suriname quay in the eastern docklands of Amsterdam. It was built in 1957 by the Royal Dutch Steamboat Company (KNSM) and it was in operation until 1979. When the council of Amsterdam started the redevelopment of the area into a residential neighbourhood, all the dockyard cranes were removed. Luckily, some local residents convinced the council to retain this crane as an icon of the industrial heritage of the city.
The restoration.
In January 2016, the crane was transported to us along the IJ waterway. The crane was fully renovated within 1 year, while maintaining its original state: the framework and structure, for example, are still in their original condition. But we’ve added to this by developing a unique three-floor apartment. In November 2017, the renamed crane was officially opened as ‘The Yays – Crane Apartment’.
The apartment.
A living room with kitchen area are situated on the first floor, while there is a bedroom and bathroom with shower and bathtub on the second floor. The third floor, the former crane operator’s control room, is the master bedroom with a panoramic view over the IJ.
