GELE KEET

MERWEHAVEN, ROTTERDAM

Hidden in the former Rotterdam fruit harbor stands the ”Gele Keet”. A building that serves as an office of the Municipality of Rotterdam, but also offers space to various start-ups. Within the large plain of the port area – where the scale is dominated by machines, sheds and factories – oases can be found. A public art exhibition, a brewery, an abandoned warehouse full of graffiti: the first signs of the upcoming transformation of this area. The Gele keet is such an oasis. The terrain is surrounded by greenery, a place where wild plants and old trees grow, and where even foxes occasionally sniff about. It is a crucial green fringe in the ecosystem of Rotterdam. The site is used by the Municipality as a testing ground, where experiments are carried out with new, sustainable forms of urban management.

In collaboration with the municipality, we have developed a proposal to further develop the Gele keet as an oasis in the city. The big challenge is to add something without losing the casual, experimental and free character of the place. By means of minimal interventions, a design was created in which the building can serve as a place where schoolchildren can learn about soil, nature and sustainable urban management. Most interventions can be realized by using the materials that are already present on site. Part of the pavement of the vacant parking bays will be converted into ground bays. Residual wood is used together with the paving for a new shed, where children can work in and on. Already existing concrete slabs are used for the construction of paths and a small square for events. Other material is used for various art installations. With a small budget and short material chains, the Yellow Keet can reinforce its unique character: a place where experimentation and nature are given space.

support the additive functions of the municipality of rotterdams ground division, the existing office is transformed. Lower ground now has opened up for eductional space, and a garden shed is added to provide a starting point for outdoor lessons.