"Accelerating Rotterdam"

Now is the hey-day of European cities. Not only because they are growing, but even more so because they still have the capacity to re-invent them selves. In each European city, current urban schemes aim at the modernisation, reorganisation and transformation of the urban area. This is prompted by the awareness that vitalising the city and enhancing its chances of survival require active measures. When old functions move away from the city, new functions will have to be introduced in their place, no matter how. Specialisation is the key word. It is through specialisation that a new European network of mutually competing and complementary cities will come into being. The hey-day of the city will bring about by a combination of three types of innovation: in the field of culture, in the world of technology and in the domain of public administration. Crucial issues in all three fields are: creativity, added value and tangible results.

Rotterdam has engaged in a courageous though unavoidable process of focusing on Europe. An important mental step to be taken by Rotterdam is to abandon the rhetoric of the post-war reconstruction. This concept was based on the idea of constructing a representative city, matching the largest port in Europe. In the meantime, the concept has become outdated. For Rotterdam it is time to act like a European city. In this way it will enter the domain of active cities. Cities that are also struggling with the new economic reality.

Practising urban design is no longer dictated by an autonomous discipline, but by urban culture. History has become the curriculum vitae of the city. Future plans take advantage of intrinsic qualities and utilise inherent potential. What all European cities have in common is the desire to convince by means of urbanity with the emphasis on a topical cultural life. Culture alone, however, is not enough as a means of existence. The argumentation behind this is as follows: if visitors are willing to come here, students will want to study here and, if everything works out all right, will also decide to take up their residence here.  According to Richard Florida, current economic patterns prescribe that companies take up domicile in cities where well-educated employees feel at home. Naturally, this links economic activity to specific educational institutions. The question is how attractive is Rotterdam and what is Rotterdam good at? Answering it requires both action and study at the same time.