WHYcast history episode 25
Episode 25 – The Origins and Explosion of Dutch Hackerspaces
A central historical segment in this episode is a deep dive into the genesis and meteoric growth of hackerspaces in the Netherlands, as recounted by Robert (also known as Number3), a veteran of over twenty years in the Dutch hacker scene. This segment not only traces the roots of hackerspaces but also highlights the intertwined nature of hacker camps and hackerspaces in the Dutch and broader European context.
Robert begins by addressing a question asked at Bitlair—a well-known Dutch hackerspace—about where modern hackerspaces originated. He notes that defining a "modern hackerspace" involves more than just a space with computers; it is about shared keys, open access, and a commitment to collaborative creation. The narrative centers on the period around 2009, when a sudden proliferation of hackerspaces swept through the Netherlands.
He attributes much of this momentum to international cross-pollination and the sharing of organizational blueprints. The story starts with "Hackers on a Plane," an initiative by Nick Farr in 2007, which involved visiting pioneering spaces such as Metalab in Austria and C-Base in Germany. This tour catalyzed a conversation about what a hackerspace could and should be, with influential figures like Mitch Altman confirming that Nick Farr's efforts seeded many new spaces across Europe and beyond.
Around this time, hackerspace.org emerged as an online platform where communities could register and showcase their hackerspaces, further accelerating the movement. By late 2007, foundational presentations such as "Hackerspaces Design Patterns" at the 26th Chaos Communication Congress (26C3) provided a codified set of best practices and cautionary tales for would-be founders, encapsulating the collective wisdom and pitfalls of early spaces.
2008 saw the official launch of Noisebridge in San Francisco, with Mitch Altman at the helm, which became a flagship example of the hackerspace ethos. Although there is no singular, direct link between these international developments and the Dutch hackerspace boom, Robert emphasizes that their visibility and the ready-made organizational templates emboldened Dutch enthusiasts to start their own spaces.
A pivotal moment came during the summer of 2009 at the HAR camp (a major Dutch hacker camp), where a panel discussion titled "Hackerspaces Everywhere" featured Esther Schneeweiss and Mitch Altman. This conversation is credited with inspiring a new wave of hackerspaces in the Netherlands, as attendees left the panel motivated to found their own communities.
Robert adds further texture by referencing his conversation with Aldert, a former chair of HXX, who confirmed that the movement’s momentum was profoundly collective. The years 2009 to 2011 saw the founding of now-prominent Dutch spaces such as RevSpace, Hack42, Bitlair, and Random Data. These groups typically funded their notary fees and startup costs through community donations, embodying the grassroots spirit that defines the Dutch scene.
Importantly, Robert situates these developments within a longer continuum. He recalls that even before the 2009 boom, spaces like TD Venlo evolved from youth clubs, and in the 1990s, ASCII in Amsterdam—an informal, squatter-era space—functioned as a proto-hackerspace. Although these early forerunners lacked the formal structure and shared key systems of modern hackerspaces, they fostered the same communal, open spirit.
Robert’s key takeaway is that there was no single founder or originator of the Dutch hackerspace movement. Rather, a constellation of initiatives, ideas, and influences converged around 2009, creating a fertile environment for collective action. This spirit persists today, with hackerspaces and hacker camps continuing to support and interconnect the Dutch technical and creative communities.
Ad and Nancy underscore this point, noting that almost all in-person organizational meetings for upcoming events like WHY2025 are now held at hackerspaces—a testament to their central role in Dutch hacker culture.
As an additional historical footnote, the discussion touches on the concept of "do-ocracy"—the principle that those who step up to do the work lead, a practice first formalized in the "Hackerspace Design Patterns" by Jens and Lars in 2007 and later expanded by Mitch Altman. This model, which prizes initiative and self-organization, remains a core value of both hackerspaces and hacker camps in the Netherlands.
Summary: This episode’s historical segment offers a comprehensive and nuanced account of how hackerspaces in the Netherlands emerged from a mixture of international inspiration, local initiative, and a long-standing tradition of communal experimentation dating back to the 1990s. The cross-pollination between camps and spaces, the importance of open access and shared keys, and the enduring value of do-ocracy are highlighted as foundational pillars of Dutch hacker culture.