We are happy to announce that this coming year we will be working on a new project: a villa just outside Dordrecht (NL). The clients, a young couple currently living in Rotterdam, want a modern and practical home inspired by the renowned Eames house. Our design will focus on maximising the qualities of the plot with a compact volume that opens up to the green surroundings.
How can markets activate local economies and strengthen social cohesion? Join us for the webinar “Neighbourhood Markets As Social Community Drivers” at the STADMAKERSCONGRES 2020 on 25 November.
Public markets come in all shapes and sizes; indoor or outdoor, specific to a particular product or type of food or mixed, located in the same place or travelling. But successful public markets all have one thing in common: they are driven by local communities.
In this webinar, Guillem Colomer (COFO architects) – winner of Europan 15 Rotterdam “Visserijplein” – presents three case studies of community driven market typologies that are relevant to the context of the Visserijplein in Bospolder Tussendijken (BoTu) in Rotterdam. Together with a panel of experts and Rotterdam city makers he will explore creative measures to bring public markets to the next level, as civic conveners to connect social life to commerce, and create a new sense of community. And by doing so, draw lessons for the local economy of BoTu and the future development of the Visserijplein.
Sign up here.
On 29th of October took place the first of four workshops regarding the development of Visserijplein in Bospolder-Tussendijken (Rotterdam). The workshop was an open discussion with neighbours and stakeholders on how Visserijplein can contribute to the neighbourhood's resilient future.
At COFO architects we firmly believe the following:
The transformation of Visserijplein represents a unique opportunity to strengthen the diverse community of Bospolder-Tussendijken (BoTu). Thanks to its central location, its large size, and its current and future public program, the new Visserijplein can have an enormous positive impact on the daily life of the neighbours.
At present the square hosts a market twice a week. However, the space remains underused the rest of the time. As the heart of BoTu, Visserijplein should never be an empty space. It should be an active public space for everyday life. A space that can host the market in an intelligent way, using its potential to strengthen social cohesion.
Among the new facilities to be built in the square, there should come an interior community space. This urban living room should be welcoming, multifunctional and provide space to develop local initiatives.
BoTu is already buzzing with social energy. Through the Visserijplein process, the neighbours can be empowered to become the makers of their own environment and to proudly celebrate BoTu’s multicultural identity.
COFO architects won the first prize at the EUROPAN15 competition for the Rotterdam - Visserijplein site. The project, named 'Rambla + Kapsalon', proposes a central urban avenue and a multifunctional hub to regenerate the heart of this vulnerable neighbourhood.
Learn more about the neighbourhood and the social activities taking place (in Dutch).
Read article about Talisman Travel Agency.
Read article about Workshop for the Mind.
(both articles are in Spanish)
The official award ceremony for Europan15 Netherlands was celebrated this past Monday 9 March in De Kroon, Rotterdam. COFO architects received the award for Rambla + Kapsalon, the winning project for the Visserijplein site in Rotterdam.
During the award ceremony, the assignment for each site and the highlights of the winning entries were presented by Jacob van Rijs, chair of the jury and partner at MVRDV. The ceremony was followed by two days of intense programme organised by Rotterdam Architecture Institute (AIR) and Europan NL.
During the workshops on Tuesday, the participants zoomed in on the winning entries and explored what could be learned from them. The following day a masterclass by Tina Saaby - former city architect of Copenhagen and jury member - took place. This was followed by a visit to two Rotterdam based architecture offices: DROM and Studio for New Realities. The programme focused on making liveable cities and creating opportunities for young architects.
View COFO's award winning proposal: Rambla + Kapsalon
Photo credits: Fred Ernst
COFO architects has been awarded the first prize at the EUROPAN15 competition for the Rotterdam - Visserijplein site. The project, named 'Rambla + Kapsalon', proposes a central urban avenue and a multifunctional hub to regenerate the heart of BoTu, a vulnerable neighbourhood in Rotterdam. Twice a week the central square hosts a local market, but the space remains underused during the rest of the week. The proposal combines the dynamics of the highly appreciated market with the large diversity of cultures to consolidate a genuine collective identity.
The cultural communication project Territori Jujol will soon start a new phase. The initiative’s ambition is to promote the works of architect Josep Marial Jujol in the region of Tarragona, help reactivate the area and encourage the study of his works. Thanks to the funding provided by the Fundación La Caixa, the project can continue to its next phase: organising educational workshops for children. Several groups from local schools will be initiated in the universe of Jujol and his architecture during the coming year. The workshops will be organised by Urbanins, COFO architects and the Rovira i Virgili University.