Rotterdam welcomes a number of impressive new buildings this year. With Fenix, the Nederlands Fotomuseum and Portlantis, the city is getting three more crowd-pullers. But what does this wave of spectacular architecture say about the future of culture in the city? Join the discussion during the Vers Beton debate!

In Rotterdam, three major new buildings dedicated to culture open(ed) this year. Fenix, the new art museum on migration, is furnished and designed to attract large audiences. The National Museum of Photography at its brand new location in warehouse Santos in the fall will also aim to do just that. Finally, with Portlantis, the world-renowned port of Rotterdam has gained a new and state-of-the-art experience center.

The initiatives draw attention to Rotterdam as a destination for international visitors and domestic tourism. The energy shown by each initiative is contagious and boosts expectations of Rotterdam as an attractive city for those who love culture. It is notable that private initiatives (such as the Port of Rotterdam) or philanthropy (Stichting Droom en Daad) are increasingly contributing to culture, leaving their mark on the city’s cultural identity. At the same time, Museum Rotterdam and the Boijmans van Beuningen remain closed, both of which house a national collection and previously seemed indispensable in the cultural face of Rotterdam.

Come June 27 to the Vers Beton debate during Architecture Month, on the question: Are spectacle architecture and cultural buildings in Rotterdam inseparable?

Fotocredits: Ossip van Duivenbode

Go to website
Go to Instagram page