Amsterdam NACHTWRK: Who cares for the city at night?

What happens in a city while most of us sleep? In Amsterdam, an often invisible workforce keeps the city running through the night: cleaning streets, repairing infrastructure, and maintaining essential services. This project shines a light on these workers and raises the question: they care for the city – does the city care for them?

Fifteen percent of the Dutch population works at night, yet their experiences remain largely overlooked in planning and policy. Night workers face higher risks of physical and mental health issues, social isolation, and limited access to basic services such as healthy food and safe resting spaces.

While Amsterdam has been a global leader in night governance, existing policies focus primarily on nightlife and the night-time economy, leaving essential workers underrepresented. To address this gap, we propose Amsterdam NACHTWRK: an integrated strategy built on four pillars – understanding night workers through better data, valuing their expertise via a dedicated network, improving spatial conditions through accessible Nachtwrk Hubs, and increasing public recognition of their contributions.

Drawing on feminist planning theories, we centered our research in the concepts of care, lived experiences, and making the invisible visible. This project reimagines how cities can support those who sustain them after dark.

Juliette Leader, Coordinator & presenter