Most of the research students and employees are working here for a short time. This means they all have to be housed in the city for a short term, varying from a couple of months to a few years. Due to the housing shortage in in Rotterdam, it has become more difficult to find the proper place to house employees in recent years.

As a reaction to the Woonvisie, the plans of the municipality in general, and as an addition to our collective manifesto, I would like to give attention to this group of professionals deserving a home.

The Erasmus MC healthcare campus is in the middle of Rotterdam, but does not seem to be part of it. According to my findings, the campus grew in its own practical way, lacking the ability to connect to the city fabric, and thus lacking to be a part of the city. Even now, the municipality finds it hard to connect the campus to the city. The Erasmus MC is now surrounded by two established parks, but also a lot of leftover space, that in my opinion, has no meaning if you look at the general plans laid out for the Hoboken area, which is designated as an urban environment for health and education.

The proposed building will make the Erasmus MC healthcare campus more complete, inviting for visiting students and researchers, and will also mould the campus onto the city fabric.

I have taken the typology of an 19th century building block which I saw on our excursion to Berlin as an example how to create density, and at the same time, a lively street scene. This typology isn’t to be found a lot in the Netherlands. To make it acceptable for Dutch standards, I tried to design a building which expresses a kind of human scale. A building that shapes a rhythm to the streets for passing pedestrians as well as car drivers.

The building is built up out of three typologies. On the Rochussenstraat you will find the Dutch portiek typology. In the back, where the smallest units are located, you’ll find a corridor. Those two are connected by a gallery, making up an enclosed building block.

On the side of the Zimmermanweg, this block is opened to the public, to give access to a green courtyard. The building also provides access to metro Dijkzigt, houses a lunchroom, retail spaces, small congress facility and a corner coffee bar. These functions will encourage street life in and around the building.

The apartments are small for Rotterdam standards. However, I tried to design them in a way that they provide different levels of privacy to the inhabitant. As an example of this principle, the bedroom is located as far as possible from the front door, so even if the apartments are serviced, there still is the privacy of one’s own bedroom.

With the proposal of this building the opportunity is created to work towards a greater goal: Making the Erasmus healthcare campus a true part of the city. At the same time, it provides 192 dwellings for its employees. By 2030, Rotterdam takes care of its caretakers. I believe that by taking care, the city will get better.