Opening Rotterdam Architectuur Maand
For the fourth time AIR, Rotterdam Festivals and Rotterdam Partners co-initiate the Rotterdam Architecture Month. From Friday, 24th of May to Monday, 17th of June the former Postkantoor, POST, will be the beating heart of RAM19: POST podium. At the hospitality of Omnam Group, professionals, the public and national- and international press are intivited to enjoy the grand hall once more as a beehive of activities.
POST podium will present a wide variety of daily activities that have been setup in collaboration with the Municipality of Rotterdam, AFFR (Rotterdam Architecture Film Festival), Dependance Debates, Urban Guides, Rotterdam Late Night and the Dutch Fund for Creative Industries. Models of major urban area developments like Feyenoord City, Hart van Zuid and the inner city development of the Coolsingel avenue, Maritime District and Rotterdam Central District will be on showcased. NAi Booksellers and Food for Thought will setup a bookshop and a bar to underline the POST podium hospitality for all Rotterdammers to enjoy.
Opening
On Friday May 24th the Rotterdam Architecture Month opens with a keynote speech by Eran Chen (ODA architecture). Together with Braaksma & Roos, his firm ODA gives shape to the transformation of POST. Eran Chen will share his vision on high quality redevelopment of ‘adaptive’ mix-use buildings, innovations in high-rise design and well designed spaces in-between the public and the private. Key challenges and opportunities for shaping urban density all over the world. In conversation with Kees Kaan (Kaan Architecten), a.o. supervisor of Rotterdam city center, Eran Chen will reflect on the significance of thise themes for the ongoing transformation of Rotterdam and the architecture practice.
Program
19.30 hrs Doors open
20.15 hrs Start program, welcome by Bas van der Pol (director AIR) and Johan Moerman (director Rotterdam Festivals)
20.20 hrs Keynote lecture by Eran Chen (ODA New York)
20.50 hrs Eran Chen and Kees Kaan, a conversation
21.20 hrs Closing statement by Kees Kaan, opening the Rotterdam Architecture Month 2019
21.30 hrs End of program, toast and drinks at POST Podium
The opening will also kickstart a weekly series of talks throughout RAM on the ‘layered city’: (28/5) transformation of monumental heritage (4/6) typological development of high rises and (13/6) the Rotterdam ‘city-axis’ spanning, through time, the development of Coolsingel – Erasmusbridge – Rijnhaven – Hart van Zuid.
Our speakers
Eran Chen – is the founding principal of ODA. Since establishing the office in 2007 he has become one of the most prolific and influential architects in New York. Eran has gained a reputation for delivering imaginative designs that are radically innovative as well as socially, ecologically, and fiscally responsible. Seeking to reorder architectural priorities by putting people first, Eran challenges conventional perspectives of dwelling with hopes that it will, over time, influence life in our cities. Eran graduated with honors from the Bezalel School of Art and Design in Jerusalem, where he serves on the board. He is a frequent speaker at design and development forums around the world, as well as architecture schools including Columbia University, Clemson University, Syracuse University, Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture, and The Technion Israel Institute of Technology.
Kees Kaan – founded KAAN Architecten in 2014 together with partners Vincent Panhuysen and Dikkie Scipio. Kaan graduated in architecture at Delft University of Technology in 1987. He is currently chair of the department of Complex Projects at the faculty of Architecture at Delft University of Technology. His research focuses on large complex projects that characterize rapid global urbanization. Kaan is an international lecturer and sits on various juries and boards, both in the Netherlands and abroad. Numerous books and exhibitions have been dedicated to his body of work.
