Transcript poetic freedom - Empty Homes Agency

“POETIC FREEDOM”
SPANGEN, ROTTERDAM
ROTTERDAM
THE CITY
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City centre was destroyed in the war
Culture of Demolition and Reconstruction
Large investment in former docks and city centre
Consequently has the reputation in the Netherlands
as the “Skyscraper” city
• Resulting in many competing iconic buildings
SPANGEN
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
• Inner City Suburb
• One of many traditional working class
neighbourhoods
• Large immigrant population
• Drug and crime problems
• Locals describe area as one of the “worst” in
Rotterdam
THE HOUSING BLOCK
THE PROJECT
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Demand for low cost housing – shortage of housing
Desire by City Council to regenerate area
Houses were in a poor state
Some derelict, some owned by slum landlords
Thorough costing for RENOVATION of properties
versus DEMOLITION and RECONSTRUCTION
• COSTS WERE FOUND TO BE IDENTICAL
STREET VIEW
THE PROCESS
• Architect worked with Authority to convince them
to take on the project
• The Council purchased the properties in the block
• Adverts placed for “Free” Houses – the freehold is
free but renovation costs must be paid for by the
purchaser
THE DESIGN
• Street facades restored to original glory maintaining
the sense of place and neighborhood
• Each family or person in the group states how much
space they require
• Buildings gutted and reconfigured by removing rear
façade
• Foundations required underpinning
• Total build cost divided by total square metres of
entire floor space, then multiplied by the amount of
floor space each person purchased to establish their
individual cost for the property
• Rear façade dictated by architect, interiors
complete flexibility and fit out not included
• Variety of different personal expressions inside
• People worked together to maintain the communal
areas
• Management committee run by residents
PRIVATE SPACE
CONCLUSIONS
THE PROJECT WAS JUDGED A SUCCESS
AND THE CITY OF ROTTERDAM IS NOW
UNDERTAKING SIMILAR PROJECTS
ELSEWHERE IN THE AREA
THE REGENERATION OF THE AREA HAS
BEEN ACHIEVED AT NO IMMEDIATE
COST TO THE TAXPAYER OR THE
COUNCIL IN TERMS OF CREATING AND
RUNNING NEW PROJECTS OR
BUILDINGS AS ALL WORKS WERE PAID
FOR BY THE NEW RESIDENTS
THE RESTORATION OF THE
STREETSCAPE HAS MAINTAINED THE
CHARACTER OF THE AREA
LOCAL LONGSTANDING RESIDENTS,
INITALLY SCEPTICAL OF THE PROJECT
ARE NOW FULLY BEHIND IT HAVING
BEEN CONVINCED OF THE BENEFITS