Streetsoccer in Rotterdam Zuid (Hillesluis, Bloemhof, Afrikaanderwijk)

Superstadium (Shanghai) + Social housing (Hillesluis)

Thoughts on Rotterdam-Zuid Part 1

Building a stadium is an urbanistic matter. Rotterdam-Zuid is regarded as one of the worst areas in The Netherlands. Recently it has been in the news because some important opinionmakers called it the 'cleanout drain' of Holland. Lets have a look at the figures of the neigbourhoods of Rotterdam-Zuid, that we took from the website of the municipality. This gives us the opportunity to compare with the rest of Rotterdam.

The weak areas are clearly visible. They are pretty close to the site of the new stadium (dashed circle). The 'empty' area west of the site is filled in with railroads and a big road. Its remarkable that the most problematic neigbourhoods are west of the railroad, and the better ones are east. as you can see there are two connections from east to west, the north and the south. These connections are huge fly-overs.

The segregation of the different areas in Zuid is, in our opinion, a bad thing. It becomes harder to get out of the neighbourhood, and there are other problematic effects, such as stigmatizing and redlining. If the most problematic areas of Rotterdam really want to benefit from the spillover effects a new stadium, there has to be a better physical connection.

now the barrier of the trainstation is evened.But a second barrier arises, the big 4-lane road that connects the centre of Rotterdam with the highway.



The connections are very important. Not only for social-economic purposes, but also for the logistics of big events. With good slow-traffic connections, it becomes more easy for people to park their car at distance. The stadium itself should also be connective. De current masterplan for the area seems to be a design for succesful people. Expensive free-market appartments have been built alongside the Maas, a cinema, shops, parkinggarages. Luxury right next to the poorest areas of Rotterdam (Afrikaanderwijk, Feyenoord, Hillesluis). In our opinion, the stadium should be used to overcome segregation, not enhance it. Something like this:

to be continued...