Sustainable Rotterdam

Euro 17,95
Paperback / 120 pagina's / ISBN 90-809487-1-3

"It takes more than buildings to make a city" This fact is demonstrated in a new exhibition at NAI where a group of architects from Spain, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands develop new methods to intervene in the city's dynamics.

Each group presents a project from its portfolio and demonstrates, with the use of maps, diagrams, manipulated photos and objects, its approach to investigating, analyzing and mapping out the dynamic metropolis.

Hey! and it seems that the methods used during the Rotterdam tour are hot, the press note reads: They have adopted a guerrilla approach in which erecting buildings is no longer the sole means of coming to grips with today's metropolis.

NAI (Rotterdam)
March 25 - June 11 2006
Gallery 3

CityPorts Rotterdam
How will Stadshaven area look in 2030? Lots of housing or lots of industry? A big public attraction? A new bridge over the river? CityPorts Rotterdam is organizing an international competition for suggestions on how to mix city and port. Ideas on how an active port can be combined with a good living environment.

- Founded in the mid 13th century after a dam had been constructed in the River Rotte
- From fishing village to international centre of trade, transport, industry and distribution
- At the beginning of Second World War, on 14 May 1940, virtually the entire city centre was devastated
- Currently, largest port in the world. Known as “Gateway to Europe”
- 1.000.000 inhabitants in the region (600.000 in the city)
- 160 nationalities
- 80% population speaks English as second language

Guerrilla Ethnography in action
Sustainability is active in Rotterdam and it reflects in a variety of ways, from exploratory projects to applied proposals. We are going to approach some of the most relevant activities and discover the city with the help of those that are making it happen.

The goal of this journey is to identify improvement options in the areas of mobility and urban development from a sustainable perspective (balancing the environment and social aspects). For this, we’ll apply guerrilla ethnography techniques which imply to be ready and get involved, move around, take abundant pictures, notes, when appropriate, ask questions and solicit answers. At the end of the day we’ll sit back and think about the larger picture based on the data and material collected. The outcome will become available in the form of a hard-cover report, internet site and video.

Currently the city of Rotterdam is exploiting its cultural and creative character with the aim to position itself in the knowledge economy. Therefore, the city is an excellent ground for innovations in the field of sustainability related disciplines like mobility, urban planning, social cohesion, and architecture. The Design for Sustainability program is involved in many of these new sustainability initiatives by graduation projects, PhD work, alumni etc...

The City Innovator of Rotterdam (also known as Prof B.), Onsustain and DfS have taken the initiative to organise an interactive exploration tour through Rotterdam to feel these new creativity and sustainability vibes yourself.

A day program (from 10.30 till 19.00) will take you through the city visiting the creative hot-spots, meeting the movers & shakers, consuming the Rotterdam food culture and experiencing several sustainable mobility concepts. A detailed program will follow, but most probably the following hotspots will be visited and will be presented and discussed by their creators.

* The new Rotterdam Central Station master plan
* Atelier Licht en Kleur: Urban lighting of Rotterdam
* AIDA: Winning the prize 'Ei van Colombus" urban sustainability projects
* Stadshavens: Rotterdam City Innovators
* Lloydkwartier: Onsustain and Philips Design
* Muller Pier: Hogeschool Rotterdam, Multimedia and creativity

Afterwards, we will continue in the Witte de Withstraat to reflect, boost the creativity of Rotterdam and DfS in an appropriate food corner followed by the funky tunes and cold beers in de "Witte Aap"

The day program including lunch will be for free (except to rent a bicycle if you do not have one) The evening program, diner and drinks, will be your own responsibility.