Traditionally, on the 2nd day of the ZoHo Action
Planning Workshop of IHS, the different groups continue the analysis of the
area. Physical, socio-economic and stakeholder mapping revealed a lot about the
area and how things have evolved since a year ago. Built environment, blue/green
bodies, flows, landmarks, employment, land use, housing, health and education,
transport and environment, governmental structures, private stakeholders and civil
society initiatives were only a few of the topics under discussion at the
presentation.
During the analysis of the groups, one word kept on
repeating itself: islands. But how? Although the Zomerhofkwartier is surrounded
by a lot of water, no one can suggest it is an island..! However, “islands”, in
the sense of secluded pieces in different surroundings, were identified around
the neighbourhood: public space islands surrounded by a lot of private space,
social groups “islands” feeling excluded from the social structures of the city.
Connections seem to be here, like corridors joining islands to each other. But
no openness, no feeling of integration, not a feeling of place. A place where
most of the people feel at home, where they identify themselves with the
neighborhood and the people they live next to.
Video: first day of fieldwork at ZoHo, by Efim Kolodkin, UMD11
However, it is more than clear that everyone sees the potential of the neighborhood, and the important role of the activities going on in the area! ZoHo has attracted a lot of attention because of the creative activities, the perfect location and its special socioeconomic structure. People come to ZoHo a lot: people from other areas in Rotterdam, from other cities, even from other countries. The area has a lot to offer to a variety of “audiences”.
At the end of the day, the UMD11 – ZoHo Action Planning
groups re-arranged themselves and new working groups were formed, based on the ideas
that sprung out of the “ideas market”. Currently, hard work is going on at
Roodkapje at Teilingerstraat, which has turned to a cosy atelier - with smells
coming out of the kitchen as lunch is being prepared! Public administration
students from Erasmus University Rotterdam will join the UMD11 team in a while,
to discuss the ideas from a different perspective while enjoying delicious Dutch
lunch!
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| UMD11 in Roodkapje. |
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| Working at Teilingerstraat, Zomerhofkwartier. |
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| Lunch break. |
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| Lunch prepared by Roodkapje chef Paul and Nadija! |
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| December 2014! :) |
