Wednesday 10 December 2014

The Zomerhofkwartier islands!

Traditionally, on the 2nd day of the ZoHo Action Planning Workshop of IHS, the different groups continue the analysis of the area. Physical, socio-economic and stakeholder mapping revealed a lot about the area and how things have evolved since a year ago. Built environment, blue/green bodies, flows, landmarks, employment, land use, housing, health and education, transport and environment, governmental structures, private stakeholders and civil society initiatives were only a few of the topics under discussion at the presentation.

During the analysis of the groups, one word kept on repeating itself: islands. But how? Although the Zomerhofkwartier is surrounded by a lot of water, no one can suggest it is an island..! However, “islands”, in the sense of secluded pieces in different surroundings, were identified around the neighbourhood: public space islands surrounded by a lot of private space, social groups “islands” feeling excluded from the social structures of the city. Connections seem to be here, like corridors joining islands to each other. But no openness, no feeling of integration, not a feeling of place. A place where most of the people feel at home, where they identify themselves with the neighborhood and the people they live next to.

Video: first day of fieldwork at ZoHo, by Efim Kolodkin, UMD11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9CNP_q2FfU&index=1&list=PLwSA9aW6SBbwbcVFnJMNIbFL407HmQOdR

However, it is more than clear that everyone sees the potential of the neighborhood, and the important role of the activities going on in the area! ZoHo has attracted a lot of attention because of the creative activities, the perfect location and its special socioeconomic structure. People come to ZoHo a lot: people from other areas in Rotterdam, from other cities, even from other countries. The area has a lot to offer to a variety of “audiences”.

At the end of the day, the UMD11 – ZoHo Action Planning groups re-arranged themselves and new working groups were formed, based on the ideas that sprung out of the “ideas market”. Currently, hard work is going on at Roodkapje at Teilingerstraat, which has turned to a cosy atelier - with smells coming out of the kitchen as lunch is being prepared! Public administration students from Erasmus University Rotterdam will join the UMD11 team in a while, to discuss the ideas from a different perspective while enjoying delicious Dutch lunch!


UMD11 in Roodkapje.
Working at Teilingerstraat, Zomerhofkwartier.
Lunch break.

Lunch prepared by Roodkapje chef Paul and Nadija! 


December 2014! :)




Monday 8 December 2014

Action planning 2014 in ZoHo kicks off!

Things have changed since December 2013 in Zoho, UMD10 (almost completely) left and UMD11 has arrived, with new energy and enthusiasm to discover one of the most "hotspots" of urban development in Rotterdam.
The location of IHS activities has changed, this year we are hosted by Roodkapje, and we will be using the large spaces of this venue for all this week activities.
More than 50 international students have been intensively assessing the area, focusing on different aspects, both on desk and by walking around. Moreover, we have received a lot of valuable inputs from a number of different stakeholders: we thank Jeroen, Paul, Jeroen, Thomas, Frank, Yasemin, Wim, Jacco, Jesus, Panos and Chris for kindly sharing their time with us today.

We are sure we will provide them and all the people involved in Zoho with valuable ideas and strategies that we will start to create tomorrow from the fertile ground created by today's analysis and mapping.