Before it became the buzzing creative hub it is today, Capital C had a very different kind of sparkle. This iconic building in the heart of Amsterdam was all about glittering gems and serious business.
Originally built in 1911 as the Amsterdam Diamond Exchange — or De Diamantbeurs — the building stood as a proud symbol of trade, craftsmanship, and the city’s global reputation in the diamond world. Designed by Gerrit van Arkel in the striking Amsterdam School style, it had presence, purpose, and more than a little drama.
At the end of the 19th century, Amsterdam’s diamond industry was booming. In those early days, diamond trading took place in cafés across the city. That changed in 1889, when the association ‘Beurs voor den Diamanthandel’ was founded.
By 1911, their vision had taken shape: a monumental exchange hall built at Weesperplein, designed by Van Arkel — the same architect behind several of the city’s diamond-cutting factories, including the Asscher factory on Tolstraat but also the Amstel Hotel.
The main exchange floor was housed on the first level, with more than a hundred offices for traders above. A branch of the Incasso Bank operated from the basement, where vaults stored the city’s most precious goods.
The Diamond Exchange was located in Amsterdam’s Jewish quarter, where many diamond traders and polishers lived and worked.
During the First World War, the building took on a different role: the space that is now Capital Kitchen once served as a temporary shelter for Belgian refugees. This is a lesser-known but poignant chapter in the building’s history. A reminder that this building has always been a place for people to come together — in times of trade, of transition, and of transformation.
As the decades passed, change slowly crept in. In 1956, a fire destroyed the original top floor. The fire was a big happening, since it was in the middle of the winter, firefighters had to carve out the frozen canal to use the water.
Despite the damage, the Diamond Exchange remained in use for many years, though its golden age was clearly fading. Eventually, the diamond trade moved out entirely, and the once-proud building stood empty. Until years later in 2015, the building was acquired by Zadelhof and Sijthoff.
In 2015, the building was given a new lease on life. Zadelhoff and Sijthoff took over the Diamond Exchange with a clear vision: to usher in a new heyday for Amsterdam—not one built on diamonds, but on creativity. Architecture firm ZJA and Heyligers design + projects were brought in for a large-scale restoration.
The goal was clear: to preserve the character of the past while transforming the building into a contemporary space for work, connection, and inspiration. The classical architecture and historic details were given a new stage — now as the backdrop for creative entrepreneurship.
Restoring the building was no small task. But we were determined to honour its past while reimagining its future. Today, the building is full of energy. What used to be trading floors are now uniquely designed meeting rooms in Amsterdam — each one brought to life by a different Dutch artist to spark bold thinking. But if you look closely, echoes of the past are still very much present.
Today, the former Diamond Exchange has been reborn as Capital C: a creative hub where art, design, entrepreneurship, and technology come together. The former trading floor is now home to Capital Kitchen, a vibrant restaurant where food and ideas meet. Upstairs, you’ll find a mix of creative companies, freelancers, and agencies working side by side.
Original elements like the monumental staircase, the ornamental façades, and the structural floor designs have been carefully preserved and now blend effortlessly with modern additions — including the glass dome of the High Light. Echoes of the past live on in details like the Pink Salon: once the building’s original hairdresser, now a playful meeting room that sparks new ideas.
Even the name Capital C carries the building’s history forward. The ‘C’ doesn’t just stand for creativity or capital city — it also refers to Carbon, the chemical element that forms diamonds. A subtle nod to the past, and a bold wink to the creative energy that defines the building today.
In many ways, we’ve come full circle. This building has always been a place where value is created and exchanged — once with diamonds, now with ideas. Capital C isn’t just an office space, or a meeting location, or an event venue in Amsterdam. It’s a creative heartbeat in the middle of the city — alive with energy, history, and the kind of people who believe in doing things differently.
