Amazon has an office in a former prison in the Netherlands

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The video shows a few former prison cells, with the AWS logo plastered just above the cell numbers. The TikTok user says that the cells, complete with office furniture and chairs, function as meeting rooms.

“Talk about vendor lock-in” she notes in the text overlay.

The comments and re-posts often noted the irony of Amazon having an office in a former prison. There has been widespread reporting about how Amazon warehouse workers and delivery drivers are overworked, surveilled, and underpaid — at times peeing in bottles in order to meet quotas.

The prison is a dome-shaped building, with multiple stories of prison cells facing the central space. It strongly resembles the panopticon-style prison — intended to make prisoners not know if they’re being watched or not. (Unlike a true panopticon, De Koepel’s watchtower appears to have been to the side, rather than in the center of the dome.)

Cupola XS, which manages the new office spaces in de Koepel, also hosts banking and investment companies, including Rabobank, ROM InWest, and BCNL (also known as Blockchain Netherlands). Other parts of the former prison include a cafe, spaces for guided tours, and study spaces for students.

Valerie Vallenduuk, the Director of Operations for Cupola XS, noted Insider via email that there is a lot happening in the former prison.

“We are building a tech campus with entrepreneurs and students, but also you can find cultural activities like going to the mvies in the basement or seeing an orchestra on Sunday,” she said.

Representatives for Amazon and de Koepel did not immediately return requests for comment.

Got a tip? Contact this reporter at chaskins@insider.com or via the secure messaging app Signal at +1 (785) 813-1084. Reach out using a non-work device.

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