This document outlines a proposal to use Rotterdam's cultural heritage, specifically the Line of Fire, to improve public spaces in the city center. The Line of Fire marks the boundary between the areas destroyed and undamaged by World War 2 bombings. It currently acts as a symbolic divide in the city but this project aims to give it spatial value by enhancing municipal programs and activities along its route. Research will examine how digital technologies can augment public space experiences and be integrated with spatial design solutions. The goal is to improve quality of life in the inner city and make Rotterdam a more attractive place to live and work.

1. - Photo by Martijn Stroker -
THE LINE OF FIRE
Using Rotterdam’s cultural historical heritage as an
opportunity for inner city development.
Edwin Hans - Complex City Studio - 03-11-2011
Edwin Hans (4022890), mail@edwinhans.net, The Line of Fire: Using Rotterdam’s cultural historical heritage as an opportunity for inner city development, Msc 3
Urbanism Graduation studio (AR3U100), Thesis plan (AR3U012), Theory of Urbanism (AR3U022), Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Depart- LOF
ment of Urbanism, Complex Cities Studio. LINE OF FIRE
Edwin Hans

2. Making a spatial assignment of the Line of Fire, embody-
ing Rotterdam’s plans and program on inner city public
space improvement.
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3. Overview
- I. Context
- II. Problem Statement
- III. Design Objective
- IV. Methodology
- V. Theoretical framework
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4. I. Context
- Rotterdam is the second largest
city in The Netherlands.
- Rotterdam’s harbour is the Eu-
ropean’s biggest port and it is the
world the 3rd busiest harbour.
1. Randstad
2. Rotterdam
3. Rijn-Schelde-delta
Source: ‘Rotterdam, Gateway to Europe’
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5. To remain the Gateway of Eu- Hamburg
rope, Rotterdam has to compete
with other harbor cities. Frankfurt
(Source: Innercity vision, 2008)
no Randstad?
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6. Randstad competition
Rotterdam is severly
underperforming on
the aspect of qualti-
ty (and activity pos-
sibilities) within the
city in comparison
with other cities in
the Randstad.
In 2006 there was a
73% appriciation of
the city centre but
in 2010 that already
droped to 61%
(Source: COS, 2011)
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7. Rotterdam’s social strategy
Improving public space with the idea
that this creates a better living environ-
ments so that:
- Rotterdam becomes a place fore busi- - Catalyzing effect -
ness, providing more workplaces
- Higher educated people will stay in Caused by?
Rotterdam after graduated
- More people want to live in the city
centre
- More houses being built, stimulates
economy and provides housing
(Source: COS, 2011)
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8. Rotterdam’s spatial strategy
1. Rotterdam want to re-orientate the city center
to the river de Maas.
2. Rotterdam want to become a Dynamic Metro-
pole again with much culture and acitivities and
a high qualitative public space with a hiearchy of
squares and boulevards.
3. Rotterdam wants to be modern and use tech-
nology as a liberating tool.
4. Rotterdam continues to aim for mixed-use
zones, environment interaction, struggeling for
centrality and contemplating about the relation-
ship of the harbour and the city.
(Source: Rotterdam Inner City Vision, 2008)
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9. Rotterdam 1340
Dam city, fisherman’s town
Settlement at the river ‘de
Rotte’, at the Maas river, around
the year 900.
Rotterdam
Schiedam On 7 June 1340 Count Willem IV
of Holland granted city rights to
Rotterdam.
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10. Delft
Rotterdam 1625
Merchant city
Rotterdamse Schie
Schiedamse schie
Shipping canal, the Rotter-
Delfts Havense Schie
damse Schie, Rotterdam be-
Rotterdam came a local transport hub be-
Schiedam tween Holland, Germany and
England.
Delftse Haven
Because Delft did not want to
be depending on Rotterdam to
much Delftshaven emerged at
the River de Maas.
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11. Rotterdam 1850
Transition city
The city expanded beyond its
former walls
Rotterdam Peat was digged North-East of
Schiedam the city and the railway appeard.
Railway
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12. Rotterdam 1937
Dynamic Metropole
Since the construction of the
Nieuwe Waterweg in 1872, a
ship cannel connecting Rot-
terdam with the Northsea, Rot-
terdam accelerated in growth
triggered by the development of
being a transport hub within Eu-
rope.
Rose’s plan for the water ‘sin-
gels’ cleaned the city and the
city accumulated wealth and
gained recognition as a cultural
and international city.
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13. Rotterdam 1940
Wounded city
Germain Air Force bombed the
city centre on 14 May 1940.
City architect Witteveen drew
up reconstruction plans for the
City. However, these plans never
got through
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14. Rotterdam 1965
Reconstruction, Functional city
van Traa’s plan for Rotterdam
approved in 1946, rendering
Rotterdam’s city centre as a
modern city.
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15. Rotterdam 2010
Repairing ciy center
Rotterdam as Gateway to Eu-
rope
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16. II. Problem statement
Since the bombing of the city cen-
tre in 1940, the city centre has been
subject to constant change.
1937
There are two spatially different
worlds. The place where these meet
is the Line of Fire. The line of fire is
the border of the field of devasta-
tion caused by the WOII bombing.
The line of fire is the borderline of 1940
Rotterdam’s multiple personalities.
undamaged
damaged
damaged damaged
damaged damaged
damaged damaged 1965
undamaged
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Source: http://rotterdamvantoen.blogspot.com Edwin Hans

17. III. Design objective
The project aim is to transgress
the symbolical value of the Line
of Fire and enrich it with spatial
value.
Thus, cultural historical heritage
will be used as an opportunity for
inner city development.
To
From the symbolical meaning of the Line of Fire The Line of Fire as a spatial zone
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18. Research question for design objective sub questions
How can the Line of Fire help improv- - How can the Line of Fire be a spatial as-
ing the publice space of the Rotterdams signment?
city centre, creating a better living envi- - Which municipality’s programs can it en-
ronment in the inner city so that Rotter- hance?
dam becomes a place to work, stay and - What other programs can it enhance?
live? - What is the role of the Line of Fire on the
regional and local level in Rotterdam?
5% more dwell-
ing from 2010 to
2014.
Still 900 needed
(Source: Cos, 2011)
Local level City level
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19. Alexander
City centre shopping area (-2% Shiphol in 30minutes reach by train
growth) competes with shopping cen-
trum Alexander (20.5% growth)
(Source: COS, 2011)
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20. Expected products
- A conceptual design for the full extend
(12km lenght) of the Line of Fire.
- Key interventions along the Line of Fire
- Detail design of a public space: Willem-
splein and the Zalmhaven
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21. IV Methodology
Cities have always been the
subject of spatial, social and
technological tests and show-
cases. Koolhaas has shown
that Coney Island in New York
was the urban laboratory for
developments later happen-
ing in Manthattan (Koolhaas,
1973). The city is the ultimate
urban laboratory.
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22. Techno-social framework Spatial framework
Emerging Digital technologies Context
1. Personal interest 1. Rotterdam with its spatial and
2. Literature studies socio-economic problems
Methodology diagram 3. Research question 2. Problem statement
3. Design objective
(simplified version) 4. Hypothesis
4. Research question objective
ts
Po
n
ai
ss
tr
ib
s
on
ili
tie
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s
Theory paper
Conclusies + strate- Urban Laboratory
gies using Monte- Research by design
gomery’s City list
Hypothesis judgement Concept and strategy
Montgomery (1998)
Conceptual design all scales
Thesis
Digital Conceptual design all scales
Technologies Rotterdam Line of Fire
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23. V Theoretical framework
Techno-social framework
Rotterdam is the spatial Enriched with multi-discipli-
framework of place and nary tools and interventions,
context, with a set of de- relying not only on pure spa-
fined socio-economial and tial strategies and interven-
spatial dilemmas tions.
- Sociological conditions:
the role of the citizen
- Technological condi-
tions: ubiquitous comput-
ing and the possibilities of
digital(media)networks.
A means, in improving the spatial
characteristics of The Line of Fire.
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24. Research question
Can - digital, media - technologies
enhance the experience of public
space and can this be intertwined
with spatial solutions?
Hypothesis
Yes they can!
Sub Research question
How?
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25. What is public space?!
3 Notions
- Public domain: exchange between people and
experience of ‘otherness’ (Sennett, Whyte)
- Public realm: Social space, social organiza-
tions between people (Lefebvre)
- Public sphere: Political space and the role of
the citizen (Arendt, Habermas)
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26. The 1960s -Adaptability/Flexibility
-Human-Human interaction and Human(s)-City
interaction
- The creative, creating, human being
- Temporality with permanent effect
- Flaneur
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27. WikiCity - Senseable City Lab, MIT, Cambridge
“How can a city perform as an open-source real-time sytem?”
http://senseable.mit.edu/wikicity/
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28. The Urban Medium: theoretical Framework
Citizen collaboration
being a citizen
production of social space
political action
city feedback mechanism
http://www.verbeterdebuurt.nl/blog/2011/01/27/turning-ideas-into-augmented-reality/
Media embedded spaces
Ubiquitous computing
Sensor networks
Inscribing street-scapes with data
(hyperlinking)
city games
city as an interface
http://mobile.zcard.com/blogs/pocketmedia_blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/augmented-
reality-city.jpg
Digital city consciousness
mobile maps
GIS
city image
city transparency
city imageability
data visuals
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NYTMappingAmerica1.png
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29. Assignment:
- Spatial quality
- Dwellings
- 24h activities
- Water orientation
- Harbour relationship
Montgomery (1998)
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30. The Line of Fire Using Rotterdam’s cultural his-
torical heritage as an opportu-
nity for inner city development.
The Urban Medium:
Towards a critical change
in urban experience
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