The Somerhofkwartier district (ZOHO) is located on the northern edge of the center of Rotterdam, close to Central Station. Almost destroyed by the bombing of the Second World War, after the war, Somerhofkwartier remained outside the zone of complex reconstruction of the city and was eventually occupied by industrial enterprises. At the beginning of the 21st century, the district was depressed, but in the 2010s it changed its function, accommodating representatives of creative industries, auto repair shops, fitness clubs, "progressive" restaurants - however, the convenient location required more serious reconstruction: a significant increase in density and variety of functions.
While the economic situation did not favor the big project, the area changed naturally, according to the “slow urbanism” scheme. And in 2018, the Municipality of Rotterdam and the Havensteder housing association announced a tender for the transformation project, which was won in 2019 by the developer Leyten & Stebru, urban planners ECHO Urban Design (project coordinator) and architectural firms: Orange Architects, Moederscheim Moonen, More Architects and Studio Nauta. An important role in the process is played by the association of residents, entrepreneurs and investors of ZOHOCitizens. The total area of the planned structures is 67,000 m2.
The idea of the designers is to create three "layers": Workshops (Lab), Nature (Land) and City (City). The Workshop layer is at ground level, above is Nature, and above them is the “cityscape” of high-rise buildings. Living space is planned in all layers. It is planned, if possible, to preserve the industrial buildings of the 1960s with their 6-9 meters high ceilings, allowing various experiments - from entrepreneurial to new types of housing.
The Land layer is a peat landscape that is capable of absorbing water during the wettest season, keeping it for irrigation in the dry season. The park is planned to be connected to the future garden on the Hofbogen overpass.
The City layer is made up of eight different residential neighborhoods, each with a different size. In addition to commercial ownership and lease, as well as social rent, various forms of collective housing and Co-Living Hotel are provided.
During the reconstruction, special attention is paid to the creation of new communities and social relations - with the help of comfortable public spaces and interiors, neighboring gardens and orchards, horizontal and vertical connections between buildings and their parts, splicing ZOHO and neighboring areas. There is a “mobility center” with carsharing and bicycles for rent, but there will be no cars in the area.
