INTERVIEW
COFFEE BREAK WITH HANS DE JONGE
18
WHAT ‘S YOUR LINK WITH RCD?
like eating, cultural activities and meeting places. By pro-
In 2014 the City of Rotterdam approached me to succeed Hans
gramming activities in the district and creating plans to make
de Boer as chair of the RCD Association after he became pres-
it greener and more sustainable – in terms of energy, water,
ident of VNO-NCW. As a professor at TU Delft and board chair
heat, etc. – we’re hoping to give this part of the city a boost.
at Brink Groep, I’d already been involved in several strategic
Mobility is obviously a big issue in RCD, which has lots of traf-
projects in Rotterdam. Later, when Brink Groep moved its
fic flows converging around the station and all the associated
western branches to the Groothandelsgebouw, I also became
parking challenges we’re keen to tackle. We organize activi-
a ‘local’, as it were. But as a Rotterdammer born and bred, ob-
ties to maximize connections among people in RCD and so
viously I already knew the district well.
promote collaborative endeavours. Together, we can achieve more in this district than any one entity working alone.
YOU’RE CHAIRMAN OF THE RCD ASSOCIATION. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS POSITION THAT DREW YOU?
IF IT WERE LEFT UP TO YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU ADD
RCD is a vital part of the city. To advance the city’s economic
OR CHANGE IN RCD?
objectives, we need innovative companies, good links, edu-
I’d like to see the existing plans carried out at speed so we can
cated professionals, affordable housing and good residential
see many more homes, green spaces and publicly accessible
environments. RCD already offers a lot of that and can accom-
ground floor spaces in the near term.
plish a great deal more through partnerships with public and
private entities. It has grown into a place where big transna-
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS DISTRICT THAT WON YOUR
tional corporations, small innovative startups and creative
HEART?
and cultural organizations all work together, and where a
RCD has a combination of rough-around-the-edges and pol-
huge amount of new housing will be added over the coming
ished, corporate and startup, work life and home life that I
years. I want to help make that happen.
think is very exciting. You don’t see much of that in cities and it creates tremendous possibilities for this district.
TEXT Romy Lange
WHAT SORTS OF THINGS IS THE ASSOCIATION DOING TO INJECT EVEN MORE LIFE INTO THIS DISTRICT?
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE
We’re connecting people and organizations around three core
WITH OUR READERS?
themes: vibrancy, sustainability and mobility. For the first
I hope readers will be just as intrigued as a I am and triggered
one, the ‘eye-level experience’ is key. We’re encouraging build-
to think about the future of this district or to suggest con-
ings to open up their ground floor spaces for public functions
crete actions. We’ll welcome new initiatives with open arms!
