This thesis explores how the kraakbeweging (squatter movement) influenced the redevelopment of Amsterdam’s Nieuwmarkt neighborhood between the 1960s and 1980s. Through archival research and comparative analysis, it examines the conflict between municipal modernization plans, grassroots resistance, and architect-led mediation by Theo Bosch and Aldo van Eyck. While the metro was constructed despite protests, the squatters succeeded in halting a major highway, preserving the historic fabric, and shifting plans toward social housing and participatory planning. The Nieuwmarkt struggle demonstrates how citizen activism, combined with responsive architecture, can meaningfully transform urban renewal processes while highlighting the complexities of long-term neighborhood change.