Alderman Karakus starts redevelopment SCHIEBLOCK

11-05-2010

City laboratory enlivens Rotterdam Central District.

In the middle of the city of Rotterdam an ambitious project is being realized: Rotterdam Central District, the development of which will take several years. In order to keep the area lively throughout this period ZUS and Codum initiated the redevelopment of the Schieblock.
Tuesday the 11th of May alderman Hamit Karakus officially launched the refurbishment. With the support of the owner LSI Project Investment and the municipality of Rotterdam ZUS and Codum developed a 5 year plan for the temporary transformation of this characteristic office building on the Schiekade. The ambition is to create a lively laboratory for the city where people from different disciplines can work together on new and interesting ways to deal with city development.
Alderman Karakus: “The 5 year plan is a good example on how to deal with temporary vacancy. Furthermore, it increases the liveliness the municipality wants to stimulate in the city centre.”

the info centre has been opened more than 120 people and companies have applied as potential users for the Schieblock. IABR, ZUS, Vereniging Delta-Metropool, Studio Architecture of Consequence, Marcel Möring, Rotterdam Bycycle, Jeanne van Heeswijk, POP, BIO inspired design and Context Queen are part of the long list of new residents.

With these people the Schieblock aims to be a test site where ideas concerning the city can be tested directly in real-time. For example: creating public spaces on higher levels, mixing functions and ways of connecting with the city. Along the way value is added to the site and the joint ambition is to showcase the Schieblock on the 5th International Architecture Biennale of Rotterdam: “The city centre as an exhibition that literally makes the city!”