Providing a Showcase for Young Makers
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#2 ROTTERDAM-CENTRALDISTRICT.NLRCD MAY 2021 R C D 1 M A G A Z I N E PROVIDING A SHOWCASE FOR YOUNG MAKERS Linda van der Vleuten, co-founder Opperclaes UNILEVER VOX POPS GROENEMORGEN Mobility as a Sustainable RCD People are taking Dreaming of a Weena Service the stage parkscape with pavement ENJOY THE TASTE OF 2 HOMEMADE HONESTY! EAT REAL FOOD LEBKOV & SONS ROTTERDAM STATIONSPLEIN 50 06:00 - 18:30 | MON-FRI [GROOT HANDELSGEBOUW] 07:30 - 17:00 | SAT & SUN @LEBKOV PREFACE PROUDLY PRESENTING OUR SECOND ENJOY THE ISSUE! The next issue is scheduled for the 6th of September We’re thrilled that you’ve picked up this second issue of RCD Magazine! This magazine TASTE OF fills you in on developments in RCD and spotlights the diversity of entrepreneurs and businesses, stakeholders and partners active R in this district. C D Featured on the cover of this issue is Linda van der Vleuten, co-founder of Opperclaes. If you’ve ever wondered who’s be- HOMEMADE 3 hind all the marvellous mural paintings in RCD – that’s Opper- claes! Opperclaes provides a contemporary art platform for young makers who are just starting off. Linda talked to us about her work and her perspective on RCD. M A For this issue, we also paid an illuminating visit to our partner, G HONESTY! Unilever. They’re working on adapting their mobility scheme A one step at a time so as to enable all staff to commute to the Z area as efficiently and sustainably as possible. Read the full I article on pages 46 & 47. N E A big thank you to all of our partners who shared their won- EAT REAL derful stories for this issue. Got an idea for us? Feel free to FOOD drop us a line at [email protected]. Hope to see you soon at one of the outdoor terraces in RCD! Happy reading! Romy Lange Rob Ittmann RCD Publishers Rotterdam Central District Association THANKS TO LEBKOV & SONS ROTTERDAM STATIONSPLEIN 50 06:00 - 18:30 | MON-FRI [GROOT HANDELSGEBOUW] 07:30 - 17:00 | SAT & SUN @LEBKOV 4 INDEX 21 15 34 UNILEVER VOX POPS GROENEMORGEN Mobility as a Sustainable RCD People are taking Dreaming of a Weena Service the stage parkscape with pavement R C D 11 5 coverstory M PROVIDING A SHOWCASE FOR YOUNG MAKERS A G Linda van der Vleuten, Co-Owner Opperclaes A Z I N E 7 What’s on? 28 Living in RCD Check the RCD Agenda 32 Success story Marcus Groeneveld: 8 Linda van der Vleuten, Co-Owner Opperclaes “With perseverance and hard work, you may achieve anything” Providing a showcase for young makers 34 Savills – Partner 15 RCD Up2Date Renovating Rotterdam gems 16 Unilever 36 D&B the Facility Group Mobility as a Sustainable Service …… 18 RCD People 38 WTC Rotterdam Are taking the stage Revitalized WTC: A multifunctional, dynamic place 20 Coffee Break 41 RCD Interview OPERATOR: With Alida Dors, artistic director at Theater Rotterdam “The city’s alternative and cultural sound” 22 Maarsen Groep 42 Architecture: Schieblock In the spotlight: Premier Suites & Offices 45 RCD Interview Groenemorgen: 25 RCD Hotspots Dreaming of a Weena parkscape with pavement 26 #RCD Online 47 Join the Rotterdam Central District Community 27 Column by Eduard Voorn 48 Memoboard Soon safe for Louboutin stilettos and funky sneakers 51 RCD Members & Colophon TRADEMARK LAW OUR EXPERTS WILL UPDATE YOU ON RECENT TRADEMARKS CASES IN THIS (FREE OF CHARGE) WEBINAR. SCAN THE QR-CODE TO REGISTER. 6 AGENDA WHAT’S ON? For the latest updates and any changes, see www.rotterdamfestivals.nl EUROVISION © StudioVollaersZwart SONG CONTEST 14-22 May Apart from live shows in Ahoy, Rotterdam will be hosting a range of other Eurovision activities, Covid-measures permitting. In any case, some of the city programming – with a big spotlight on vocal talent – will be streamed online. R C D © Fleur Beerthuis 7 ROTTERDAM ROOFTOP DAYS M ROTTERDAM 3-6 June A ART WEEK G 30 June-4 July After 2020’s online edition, this year’s A Rotterdam Rooftop Days are all geared Z Rotterdam Art Week transforms up for a Covid-proof festival weekend. I the city into a mecca for art, design The event seeks to promote rooftop N and architecture lovers. This year’s © Fleur Beerthuis use by demonstrating how they can E festival has been moved from add to a healthy, attractive, lively February to the summer. and future-proof urban environment. This festival is part of Rotterdam Architecture Month. © Tomas Mutsaers INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM 2-6 June Following the most recent virtual winter edition, IFFR returns to celebrate its 50th. All films will be available online, and the IFFR Unleashed streaming platform will also show a pick of the best films from the past fifty festivals. COVER STORY PROVIDING A SHOWCASE FOR YOUNG MAKERS 8 Linda van der Vleuten, born in Nederweert in the province of Limburg, has lived in Rotterdam for 18 years. After studying graphic design at the School of Art & Design in Den Bosch and Breda, she decided to put down roots in Rotterdam. Then as now, landing a job at a good design studio wasn’t easy. Still too inexperienced to start her own business, Linda wound up working at a succession of agencies. There she learned a lot, but never felt quite at home. In 2007, Linda met Bruce Tsai-Meu-Chong, and in 2010 they opened a gallery together: Opperclaes. Neighbours offered the couple an old vacant ground-floor shop to use as a project space for three months. They crammed their calendar with projects and expos, setting up new openings nearly every week. In the end, they got to use the space for seven years, enabling them to build Opperclaes from the ground up. Rob Peetoom Rob YOU HOST EXHIBITIONS IN YOUR GALLERY ON CLAES DE VRIESLAAN AND TAKE ON A HAIR & MAKEUP VARIETY OF PROJECTS ON LOCATION. WHAT KINDS OF EXHIBITIONS AND PROJECTS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? We ran Opperclaes gallery from 2010 to 2017. We noticed that, like us, many artists, designers and photographers had a hard time forging a path for themselves after art school. They can’t get a foot- Ruben Stam hold because they’re not known or experienced enough to get gallery shows or enough clients to make a living. We had this amazing space in the city and tried to offer a showcase for as many talent- ed people as possible – a first, for many. It was an experiment, but I’d say we did really well. And in those seven years we also built up a big network that’s still immensely valuable to us nowadays. In PHOTOGRAPHY 2010 we called it quits. It was time for a next step and we were increasingly keen to make work of our own. There were a growing number of requests and commissions coming from outside the gallery and we wanted to focus on those: to make our own work again, while still collaborating with the Romy Lange many artists and designers we got to know through the gallery. It’s still important to us to connect TEXT young designers and artists with clients, and we’re still curating all kinds of projects. R C D 9 M A G A Z I N “ We believe art E should be for everybody, not just for the elite. Artworks evoke emotion in everyone, they set something in motion.” COVER STORY 10 COVER STORY “RCD is a fertile place: there are lots of terrific things being developed and produced here.” BRUCE TSAI-MEU-CHONG IS YOUR PARTNER, BOTH IN ic things being developed and produced here. It encourages LIFE AND BUSINESS. HOW DID YOU TWO MEET? us to keep working to enhance the public space, both in and Bruce and I met through a mutual friend. We were at a horrible outside RCD. There’s also an incredible energy here. We work party in the Maassilo and got to talking. A few days later we from a studio along the railway tracks in the Schiekadeblok went to the première of a documentary about Wu-Tang Clan and are surrounded by wonderful, hardworking partners. We at Thalia – that was our first date. Bruce was still in art school support each other’s progress. The architectural firm ZUS, in Utrecht, and I had a job with Unilever. Our lives were run- Operator, Hiphophuis, the furniture maker Jeroen van Sluis, ning on very different tracks, but in 2010 we finally moved in Biergarten, Pinkman’s record shop, Poing (previously BAR), together. Now we have two kids and work together full time. MESS, Crimson Historians & Urbanists and so many more That’s going surprisingly well. We don’t always see eye to eye, with whom we’re striving to make this area more beautiful, of course, but we complement each other well. better and recognized. Despite the fact that the Schiekade- block finds itself in a turbulent time and many changes will R YOU MENTIONED HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BOTH take place in the near future, we consider this a creative C OF YOU TO PROVIDE A SHOWCASE PARTICULARLY period in which beautiful collaborations can arise with new D FOR ARTISTS JUST STARTING OUT. WHY IS THAT SO partners. We feel at home here and will remain in this area. IMPORTANT? We think the soul of the area is important. That is why we reg- It’s important that young makers are given opportunities. ularly get together with our neighbors Crimson Historians & 11 After all, you learn by doing.