MIGRATION
STUDIOS
We, The Temporary
A three-day education studio on migration in Rotterdam. Fri. 7, Sat. 8, and Sat. 15 November 2025.
Superdiversity Studio
Exploring Superdiversity with Crimson, photographer Florian Braakman and the Niteshop by Concrete Blossom. 27 May – 14 June 2024.
The Rotterdam Dream
A research-by-photography studio led by Charlie Koolaas, exploring Rotterdam as the most American city in the Netherlands. Together with the participants she looked where and how this Americanism reveals itself in Rotterdam, what it means and for whom. From car cruising and hip-hop culture to the city’s entrepreneurialism that pervades everyone. The joint production of photographs of all participants were edited into an exhibition combining into one visual narrative. 7, 8 & 15 October 2022.
A City of Comings and Goings
City of Comings and Goings was a one-week studio exploring the city of Rotterdam in terms of migration and mobility. The studio looked at migration as a shared identity, focusing on the Afrikaanderwijk – a working-class neighbourhood on the southern bank of the city. Participants conducted a combination of quantitative, data driven research and qualitative research through interviews and news articles. Tutored by Crimson Historians & Urbanists. 15 - 19 November 2021.
Superdiverse Cities
A research by photography studio exploring Superdiversity, taking place between 15 - 25 February 2021
EVENTS
School's Out! #50 with Traumnovelle
School's Out! #50 with Brussels-based architectural office Traumnovelle. A lecture about their work at the intersection of architecture and fiction, rethinking how we live together. Followed by a short film, drinks and tunes. Friday 25 April 2025, 19:00 - 22:00. Tickets available for 5 euro here
School's Out! #46 with Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy
School's Out! #46 with curator Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy - the former director of Kunstinstituut Melly in Rotterdam. A lecture, drinks and a short movie. Friday 29 November 2024, 19:00 - 22:00.
Mapping Informality, Engaging Creativity
A public lecture by Omar Nagati of the Cairo-based office CLUSTER. Thursday 19 September 17:00 – 18:30.
Back to School with… Lena Knappers & Bram van Ooijen
A series of three evening lectures about climate change, environmental justice and migration. Tuesday 08 October, 05 November and 03 December 2024
Back to School with... Arna Mačkić - Architecture of Memory
A series of three evening lectures that explore the architecture of memory, taking place on Tuesday 31 October, 21 November and 12 December 2023.
OUTPUT
A superdiverse report from Afrikaanderwijk
This newspaper is the outcome of a one-week research studio held in November 2021 and led by Crimson Historians and Urbanists, titled City of Comings and Goings. The studio examined Rotterdam through the lens of migration and mobility, approaching migration as a shared urban identity, focusing on Afrikaanderwijk—a working-class neighbourhood on the city’s southern bank. The resulting publication brings together the findings, narratives, and visual materials of this studio, offering a glimpse on migration and superdiversity in Rotterdam.
A CITY OF COMINGS AND GOINGS - CRIMSON HISTORIANS & URBANISTS
The exhibition “A City of Comings and Goings” by Crimson, originally part of the Venice Architecture Biennale 2018, was on show at the Independent School for the City from July - October 2019. The exhibition focuses on how the dynamics of migration affect European cities. The confrontation with the recent surge of asylum seekers (but also expats, EU-workers etc.) shows the basic lack of spatial flexibility in European cities to absorb new groups. From the spaces and buildings that have been designed or appropriated for migration, Crimson has distilled a panoramic view of The City Of Comings and Goings. The City of Comings and Goings is not a Utopia, nor is it a Masterplan. It is all of our Western European cities at once, together adapting to migration.