Last Saturday our excursion to Pendrecht took place. Having had to cancel the excursion earlier this year because of an intense storm, last weekend our patience was rewarded with a beautiful sunny day. With a group of women with varying professional backgrounds we headed south of the city centre to explore Pendrecht: one of the exemplary post-war neighbourhoods of Rotterdam designed by Lotte Stam-Beese.
With our bikes in hand we descended the escalators to cycle through the Maastunnel, crossed Charlois and found ourselves at the edge of this rational fifties neighbourhood. We zig-zagged through the area, observing and analysing the urban scheme and its architecture. The neighbourhood offered plenty to look at, with its clearly recognisable structure of repeating “stamps” of residential blocks grouped around wide streets and open spaces. We tried to distill Lotte Stam-Beese’s modernist and socially driven ideas for these type of new residential areas that were rapidly developed after the Second World War. We toured around and ended at the epicentre of Pendrecht, Plein 1953, around which all blocks were carefully arranged.
With a cup of coffee at the local cafe we discussed our findings while also enjoying a very catchy Pitbull-playlist. Then it was time to head back north and brave the windy crossing of the Erasmusbrug. Luckily a cold beer was waiting for us at Cafe LaBru where we continued to have our Social for that night! We had such a great time with you all and hope to be able to offer more excursions like this in the future. What else would you like to visit and learn more about? Let us know!
PS: Want to read a bit more about Lotte Stam-Beese and Pendrecht? You can view the booklet that we handed out to all participants by clicking here.
