About AINSI 

 

Location and building

AINSI is situated on the outskirts of Maastricht, in the former Verpakkingsgebouw Noord (Packing Building North) of cement producer ENCI (Eerste Nederlandse Cement Industrie /First Dutch Cement Industry). At the foot of the Sint-Pietersberg and on the banks of the river Meuse AINSI is located at approximately 10 minutes by bike from the center of Maastricht or 5 minutes by car from the A2 (route to AINSI).

The Verpakkingsgebouw Noord, built in the 1920s was designed by the Heerlen architect Frits Peutz. The building was erected in a timber framing of concrete and brick. The third floor dates from the 1950s and it was on this storey that the company canteen was fitted out. At the end of 2005 the RACM (Rijksdienst voor Archeologie, Cultuurlandschap en Monumenten) qualified the building as worthy of being a national monument.

ENCI becomes AINSI

At the start of the century ENCI and the local authorities take the initiative to transform the Verpakkingsgebouw Noord of cement manufacturer ENCI, which at this stage has been vacant for a considerable time, from an industrial complex to a place where cultural and economic activities are linked to creative entrepreneurship. This initiative for a durable redevelopment of industrial heritage in Maastricht is also supported by the Province of Limburg and the European Union.
The development and operation of the building is transfered to the Stichting BOEi (Nationale Maatschappij tot Behoud, Ontwikkeling en Exploitatie van Industrieel erfgoed/ BOEi Foundation: National Company for the Preservation and Exploitation of Industrial Heritage) and ENCI lets out the former factory on a 30 years lease to Stichting BOEi.

The assignment of AINSI

AINSI is the French word for “as” or “so”. You pronounce it as Èsie. Not in erroneous French Ensi or the English way Ainsi. In other words: it’s about a new industry, as ENCI was before. The letters of AINSI also symbolize our assignment: Art Industry Nature Society Innovation. As an extension of this, the assignment to the foundation AINSI has been formulated in twofold: First of all to explore and transend  the frontiers of the different creative disciplines; and secondly to realize a fruitfull  cooperation between those disciplines.

As a multidisciplinary building the industrial estate on the banks of the river Meuse needs to develop into the creative hotspot or the meeting point of the Creative Industry in Maastricht and far beyond.