The last issue of the international journal Rassegna, n°87, focuses on the city of Rotterdam. This is intended by the Editor as the first case-study of a new trend into the journal cultural strategy, according to which cities are interpreted as the leading aspect of territorial competition and, as such, enter into a new historical phase where urbanism is increasingly intertwined to marketing and management.  The content is the result of a research coordinated by Professor S.Umberto Barbieri and developed by a group of teachers, researchers and students working at TU Delft Polytechnic, Department of Architecture, Public Building: composition and tectonics (Tom Avermaete, Filip Geerts, Sanja Jerkovic, Susanne Komossa, Nicola Marzot, Stefano Milani, Francesco Pasquale, Francesca Poli).

The main aim is to describe key urban form transformations which occurred over the last years (from 2000 onward) through systematic reference to relevant architectural interventions. To do that, authors have been selected already finished works, some still under constructions and project whose increasing expectation among people is the striking evidence of the coming future of the city itself.

In order to have a broad vision of Rotterdam and to outline its inner urban complexity, the works have been chosen according to main themes: infrastructure, masterplan, housing complex, public and corporate buildings. Works are shown by EGM Architecten, TEAM CS, Claus en Kaan Architecten, Van Tilburg Ibelings von Behr Architecten, DS+V/Riek Bakker, Teun Koolhaas Associates and Architekturbüro Bolles+Wilson, OMA, Mecanoo Architecten, KCAP, Neutelings & Riedijk Architecten, De Architecten Cie, JHK Architecten, Erick van Egeraat Associated Architects, Hans Koolhoof, SMC Alsop, MVRDV, Tangram Architekten, Enviu- Innovators in Sustainability- and Döll-Atelier voor Bouwkunst. Complete the work selection an introduction on Rotterdam architectural XX century history and two interviews to Paul Dijkstra, Manager of Rotterdam Marketing, and Vedram Mimica, Curator of the 3td International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam 2007. Among the most interesting trends arisen from the presentation, the patchwork-like city urban form assumed as its historical brand; the attempt to increase density and urban congestion into the city core to attract new cultural capitals and investors, by using different architectural strategies; the aim to enhance the public realm quality by pursuing architectural continuity and functional mix; the attempt to reaffirm the key role of the building block into urban tissue development; the experimentation on new architectural monumentality; the increasing demand of worldwide efficient mobility for economical and cultural purposes.

 

Nicola Marzot