Roadboy in Rotterdam

Architecture in a Blender

"If you put the last 50 years of architecture in a blender, and spat it out in building-sized chunks across the skyline, you would probably end up with something that looked a lot like Rotterdam"

Rem Koolhaas

  Photo: Mlefter, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 

In Port = Rotterdam

After a swift train trip from Amsterdam I arrived into Rotterdam's Centraale station. That put me directly in the hub of Rotterdam's multi-modal universe. You can catch a bus, cab, or a tram seemingly anywhere from there.

 

Personally, I love taking trams. My tram took me over Rotterdam's spectacular Erasmus bridge to my the RoomMate Hotel Leo near the Cruise Terminal (where, ironically, the Holland America Rotterdam was anchored). 

 

As an aside, I'm a total fan of the Spanish RoomMate Hotel chain. All RoomMate hotels are designed with alter ego's. RoomMate Rotterdam is RoomMate "Leo". The character of each RoomMate hotel is designed to match the backstory of its fictitious namesake.

 

Why do I love this particular chain? Well, here's an example. While many hotel chains mothballed properties during the pandemic, RoomMate's remained open. They ramped up service to provide complementary rooms to displaced seniors and hospital staff enduring endless shifts. 

 

The Founder of RoomMate is Kike Sarasola who seems to possess boundless energy. He fills his hotels with energetic staff with beating hearts.

 

Rotterdams' Recent History

Any understanding of Rotterdam must begin with an understanding of it's recent history.

Rotterdam is Europe's second largest seaport. And prior to WWII much like Amsterdam, it contained a city center rich in historic buildings. 

 

But, it's strategic location was blessing and curse. Once the Netherlands announced its neutrality in WWII (as they had in WWI), it became an immediate target for Hitler. Without natural barriers (like the mountains provide the Swiss) it was vulnerable to Hitler who viewed neutrality as weakness.

 

Hitler began planning his invasion of the Netherlands in 1939. Rotterdam would be essential to the Nazi's providing a strategic location at the terminus of the Rhine to deploy his air and sea forces for the eventual assault on Britain.

Germany's strategy was to shock Holland into a rapid surrender. However German General Schmidt encountered remarkable Dutch resistance and concluded an intense dive bombing attack on the City would induce a surrender. 

Berlin, however, either did not receive or simply ignored Schmidt's orders and sent the Luftwaffe to carpet bomb the City from May 10-14, 1940. Known as "The Rotterdam Blitz" the entire city center was leveled killing hundreds and leaving 80,000 - 85,000 residents homeless.

The Destroyed City

(Ossip Zadkine 1953)

Upon seeing the devastation after the war, Russian born artist Zadkine, was inspired to create his emotional sculpture The Destroyed City. It consists of an enormous tortured figure with a hole where its heart should be looking to the sky in terror.

As architects, we are uniquely aware of the time, talent, resources, and energy required to create a city. This makes us disgusted by the Hitler's and Putin's who destroy with zero remorse; spoiled children whose tantrums sweep away cities and lives as a wrist sweeps dishes from a tabletop.

Once in control the Nazi's deported Rotterdam's 11,000 Jewish residents to death camps in Sobibór and Auschwitz-Birkenau. All but 141 of Rotterdam's Jews perished.

After the bombing Germany rebuilt port and air operations. So, as the war ground on, Allied forces were forced to again bomb Rotterdam in an effort to liberate the "neutral" nation whose citizens were now dying from starvation.

De Boeg (the Bow)

Rotterdam's Merchant WWII Marine Memorial 

(Frederico Carasso 1947)

 

In deference to lives lost by the merchant marine, another memorial was commissioned. The winning submission abstractly portrays a ship bow cutting through the water. Much like America's Vietnam Memorial, the powerful sculpture proved too symbolic. So, in an effort to silence complaints, De Boeg was modified in 1965 with the addition of a helmsman, 3 sailors and a drowned figure clinging to its base.

 

Modern Rotterdam 

Much like the great fire of Chicago enabled Daniel Burnham's Chicago Plan, Rotterdam's complete destruction allowed it to pursue an entirely new vision for its future. Hence, for five decades Rotterdam has been an incubator for some of Europe's most striking contemporary architecture.

The Erasmus Bridge

 

 

My favorite example is the Erasmusbrug (Erasmus Bridge). Nicknamed the swan, it is a combined cable stayed and bascule bridge. It took a decade to construct. And, in keeping with Rotterdam's fully realized multi-modal transportation network, it provides two tram lanes in the center, 4 auto lanes, 2 cycle tracks and 2 pedestrian sidewalks. 

 

If the same bridge were to be built in the US, it would simply have two more auto lanes and thumb its nose at trams, pedestrians and cyclists.

Like Copenhagen Everyone Walks and Cycles

 

Clearly a city plan that embraces active lifestyles has the added benefit of delivering a slender and fit nation.

Massive Bike Racks Everywhere

 

One of my first stops was Rotterdam's playful Market Hall. This building looks like a slinky toy that came marching down the stairs and leapt over a big bustling marketplace. It is playful with colorful soaring flowers and produce on the ceiling above shoppers.     

The Market Hall

Inside the Market

Cafes, Shops, and Offices - All Harmoniously Merged

A Masonry Window Fantasy

Canals Bisect the City in The Old Port

 

Rotterdam is a city with a vibrant spirit. It has made lemonade from its lemons. 

 

And, despite visiting during at a time of pandemic chaos, Rotterdam was a pleasure to explore. 

 

Yet, just two weeks after my visit Covid rates once again soared, the nation reimposed stricter Covid measures, and Rotterdam erupted with two nights of rioting. 

 

Strange times indeed.

 

 

Roadboy's Travels © 2022