ROTTERDAM ZUID

During the frst half of the twentieth century the area of Rotterdam Zuid, now known for neighborhoods such as Hoogvliet, Pendrecht, Zuidwijk, Lombardijen en IJsselmond, consisted of agricultural bowl shaped Polders who were separated by dikes.

The construction of the Maashaven led to an economic growth and an infux of people originating from Zeeland and Noord Brabant who moved to Rotterdam for work. To provide housing for these new inhabitants the city of Rotterdam annexed the municipality of Charolais just across the bridge and along the Maas. In an efort to provide housing the neighborhoods Afrikaanderwijk, de Bloemhof, Tarwebuurt, Carnissebuurt and Charlois were constructed. Due to their proximity to the harbour and industrial activity and the bad quality of the dwellings these neighborhoods were unsuccessful and did not appeal to the native inhabitants of Rotterdam.

In 1921 M.J. Granpre Moliere, P. Verhagen and A.J.th.Kok designed the urban plan for frst Tuindorp as an extension for Rotterdam-Zuid.The concept of the urban plan was to integrate nature into the city and to relate to the rural surroundings by designing a fan like structure. Within this fan each neighborhood had its own character surrounded by green borders. The plan was not executed but remained the key concept for further urban developments after the second world war

In 1938 Witteveen en Verhagen presented the plan Het streekplan IJsselmonde, an investigative study of the driving factor in the development of IJsselmonde. Rotterdam was divided into four industrial zones and Rotterdam-Zuid remained a residential area which needed to be developed and connected to Rotterdam to provide housing. During the second world war construction and planning came to a stop.

At the end of the 50th Rotterdam concluded that with the addition of Overschie, Schiebroek, Zuiderwijk, Pendrecht and Lombardijen the housing shortage was not resolved. Densifcation in the north of Rotterdam was not possible so the decision was made to add a fourth neighborhood in the south; Groot IJsselmonde.

In 1957 the urban plan voor Groot IJsselmonde en Lombardijen was made by Peter van Drimmelen. This plan concluded the urban expansion towards the south Rotterdam.

Between the four neighborhoods in the south some distinctions can be made. Zuidwijk has a staggered urban composition with clear organization of neighborhoods; Pendrecht is mirrored repetition surrounding a ‘core’, Lombardijen and Groot-IJsselmonde are a concentric composition inspired by antroposofe.