independent school for the city

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Independent School for the City organizes various public events, addressing topics that respond to current relevant issues in urbanisation, and offers a platform to other organisation dealing with the city. The events are accessible to all 'urban' professionals in Rotterdam and beyond.

The first in a series of three evenings about social housing, with Andrea Prins, Beatriz Ramo and Fenna Haaksma Wagenaar. Taking place on 28 January, 19:00 - 21:30.

After being ignored for a long time, the lack of affordable, social housing in the Netherlands has become ubiquitous. In the current debate, most of the attention is focused on numbers: too few homes are being built compared to what is should be needed. High construction costs are used as an argument to make social housing seem like an unprofitable investment. Moreover, there is a maze of rules that people have to navigate to qualify for social housing. This narrowing perspective on numbers and regulations, overlooks something important: the resident and the experience of habitation itself. As a result, many (young) people do not even consider living in a social project. Not only is social housing discouragingly scarce, it also suffers a negative imago. In this series we discuss these issues from different perspectives. What do decent spatial floor plans look like? What should be meant by the word “social” mean? And why do we know so little about alternatives to home ownership?

The first in a series of three evenings about social housing, with Andrea Prins, Beatriz Ramo and Fenna Haaksma Wagenaar. Taking place on 28 January, 19:00 - 21:30. Doors open and dinner served at 18:00. Get your tickets here

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Jan 31

Every last Friday of the month the Independent School for the City celebrates the start of the weekend with a public lecture. For this edition we have invited writer and urbanist Adam Greenfield to talk about his latest book "Lifehouse: Taking Care of Ourselves in a World on Fire" which deals with practices of mutual care and local power and how they can help us to survive the terrifying reality of climate collapse in our own communities.

The lecture is followed by a short film and drinks at the bar. Friday 31 January 2025, 19:00 - 22:00. Doors open at 18:00. Get your tickets here

Feb 10

Over the next century we will face several climate crises that might force millions of people to leave their homes. The third in a series of three evenings about geopolitics, climate migration and the potentialities of space. During the evening we examine the intersections between climate justice and migration.

New Date:
Monday 10 February 2025, 19:00 - 21:00 (Doors open and dinner served at 18:00)

Feb 28

A lecture about the layered and temporal approach to landscape architecture by the Paris-based design firm mosbach paysagiste, followed by a short film, drinks and tunes. Friday 28 February 2025, 19:00 - 22:00. Get your tickets here

May 30

A lecture about the built and destroyed environments, dealing with questions of colonization, nuclear weapons, and deserts. Followed by a short film, drinks and tunes. Friday 30 May 2025, 19:00 - 22:00. Get your tickets here

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