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Atlas of Cultural Ecology, Rotterdam

The Atlas of Cultural Ecology of Rotterdam is a first attempt to look at the city in a different way. It also strives to explain why certain developments occur in certain places in the city and what this tells us about the use of the city and urban life. This atlas should therefore not be considered just as a final result, as an image of the functioning of the city, but rather as a plea for a method. It is a plea for carrying out a similar investigation of each place (of substantial size) that is subject to design or development. There may be other indicators giving more information about the character of a specific place than the ones used in this atlas. The idea behind this atlas is to stimulate developers and designers to set to work with a feeling for the place, not to evoke the feeling of a certain place.

The Jury said:
We are accustomed to traditional surveys. This project shows innovative research that tries to take into account contemporary life and develop new ideas about the use and consumption of space. Town planners can be inspired by it and adapt it in their planning. It is a creative beginning of new research though much must still be worked out and implemented. A special mention is given for this outstanding and encouraging research work.