Project "R"
The Schouwburgplein (translated: Theatre Square) is part of the Basic Plan for the Reconstruction of the city of Rotterdam in 1946 . Before the war it was a densely populated district . The German bombing on May 14, 1940 burned it all down. During the war a temporary theater was built in the open space. It was build which the bricks of the bombed houses.
From 1962 on, a modernization phase was set in. The concert hall "De Doelen" appeared on the north side of the square. Under the Schouwburgplein a parking garage opened in 1966. Since then the square was car free and actually a treeless plain 'surface" . Between 1980 and 1985 the west side of square filled by ' Woondok ' , a residential complex with shops and offices at street level . In 1987, the temporary 'war' theater was demolished to make room for a new one.
In 1996 the square was completely redecorated by a Dutch landscape architect Adriaan Geuze. In his design the square was slightly raised to underline and serve, according to the architect, as a city stage.
Adriaan Geuze utilized many special materials in his design, such as epoxy, wood, rubber and metal. There are large moving street lights (in red), long benches, and alternately spouting fountains for the kids to play with. The character "R" punched in every metal plate refers of course to the first character of the name Rotterdam; as a kind of City Branding.
Project "R"
The Schouwburgplein (translated: Theatre Square) is part of the Basic Plan for the Reconstruction of the city of Rotterdam in 1946 . Before the war it was a densely populated district . The German bombing on May 14, 1940 burned it all down. During the war a temporary theater was built in the open space. It was build which the bricks of the bombed houses.
From 1962 on, a modernization phase was set in. The concert hall "De Doelen" appeared on the north side of the square. Under the Schouwburgplein a parking garage opened in 1966. Since then the square was car free and actually a treeless plain 'surface" . Between 1980 and 1985 the west side of square filled by ' Woondok ' , a residential complex with shops and offices at street level . In 1987, the temporary 'war' theater was demolished to make room for a new one.
In 1996 the square was completely redecorated by a Dutch landscape architect Adriaan Geuze. In his design the square was slightly raised to underline and serve, according to the architect, as a city stage.
Adriaan Geuze utilized many special materials in his design, such as epoxy, wood, rubber and metal. There are large moving street lights (in red), long benches, and alternately spouting fountains for the kids to play with. The character "R" punched in every metal plate refers of course to the first character of the name Rotterdam; as a kind of City Branding.