The project aims to challenge the conventional understanding
of the city's waterways as only travel routes.

Despite the shift in focus from port activities to the development of quays and riverbanks, Rotterdam's rivers remain relatively inaccessible. Several factors contribute to
this, including concerns regarding water quality, limited understanding of tidal patterns, political skeptism, ongoing
water traffic, and commercial interests. The absence of free tactile ways of understanding and the potential of alternative perspectives lingers.

De Kade

YEAR

PRACTICE

CLIENT

MATERIALS

2021

Interior design

Finca las Hormigas

Laurel wood and bamboo

Dwarsstraat 010 exhibition oktober / januari 2023 at Timmerhuis Rotterdam

I used locally sourced wood, transported via river, to craft a facade, a headboard, bed lamps, and practical clothing hooks.

van

What can we learn while being in public waterways?

However, the successful examples set by other cities like Copenhagen, Berlin, and Basel, which have redefined their rivers as more than just industrial and private domains, raise questions about how Rotterdam can similarly rethink its relationship with its waterways.

The wild swimmers map provides insights into current water quality and historical river baths established between the 1850s and early 1900s. It encourages exploration of safe swimming spots marked with a splash on the map. To ensure safety, I examined infrastructure (like ladders), social security, and water traffic, encouraging a sense of adventure and intuition development. The map's legend also prompts visitors to observe and collect phenomena such as algae presence and rainfall.

Different agendas and entities are present on Rotterdam's waterways. The wooden sculpture highlights the tension between these stakeholders and questions practices that have been prioritised at water level.

YEAR

2023

PRACTICE

CLIENT

MATERIALS

Public design proposal

Graduation Project at WDKA

Underlayment