Reimagining Public Space

Where is Here? is a collaboration between Het Nieuwe Instituut and e-flux Architecture following Who is We?, the Dutch pavilion at 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Nick Axel How do you understand the nature of public space in post-colonial cities?

Malique Mohamud There are always multiple interpretations of every public space. A good example of this in Rotterdam is Heemraadsplein, which is also called “Pracinha d’Quebrod,” or the “Square of the Poor.” The public square is surrounded by a lot of green, a lot of fancy houses. But it’s also in Rotterdam West, and in the neighborhood of Delfshaven, which is sometimes called the eleventh island of Cape Verde due to the large Cape Verdean community that lives there. Before mobile phones, Heemraadsplein was the first place people who just arrived in the Netherlands from Cape Verde would go. If they went there, other Cape Verdean migrants would approach them and help them find their way, to find a place to live, to find work, etc. That square, as well as other public spaces in the built environment, have multiple layers of meaning. This is because they have their intended functions, but then they also have informal functions that weren’t part of the designer’s initial intentions. Re-codifying and appropriating space happens a lot in migrant neighborhoods in Rotterdam. The communities that live there have had to find ways of building their lives. It wasn’t given to them, so they’ve had to appropriate squares, or nightshops, or other meeting spots throughout the city. These informal ways of using space are incredibly rich and dynamic. As a collective, we try to use the immaterial and material heritage of a post-colonial society to design spaces that actually serve the communities that we’re part of in a more intimate way.

Read the full article on e-flux

Author: Malique Mohamud

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